Always and Forever
by MandalorianHybrid
Summary: Nothing stays peaceful for long. Their pledge to one another "Always and Forever" never guaranteed happiness, even though they dared to hope it was possible. Book 5.
1. Chapter 1

**AN** : Hey guys! Well, things have been pretty hectic here, to the point I didn't even realize the show aired tonight. Lol. Anyway, I've now had two books published, which I will shamelessly plug at the bottom of the page so you can elect to ignore it, but for now, please enjoy this very short chapter. I' haven't touched these characters since last year, so I'm shaking off the cobwebs. Bare with me, and I hope you enjoy!

 **Chapter One**

Klaus couldn't make himself sleep. There was something itching at the back of his neck, something tickling him and refusing to let him relax.

Rolling onto his back, he glowered at the ceiling as though the white plaster would somehow reveal the reason behind his annoyance. But it didn't. Of course it didn't. For nearly three hours he'd been suffering.

As he laid there staring into nothingness, while the house was silent and the world around him slept, Klaus realized he heard something. A faint, nearly imperceptible sound crept into his ears and it made his back tighten. With every muscle tense, Klaus sat upright, propping himself up in bed to look around. He sharpened his hearing and listened.

Echoing in his ears was the faint sound of shuffling. His eyes narrowed as a list of creatures sifted through his mind quickly, but no matter what he thought of, he couldn't land on a culprit. A mouse in the walls, a fox in the woods, none of them seemed to match the sound. And then he heard it –an opening door.

With his three children in the house, Klaus reacted immediately. He launched himself from bed and through his door before his blankets had a chance to settle and what he found made his stomach lurch. The door to the children's room was open and –to add to his horror- a figure stood in the darkness.

The familiarity of it did nothing to assuage his fear.

"Kali," he hissed through his teeth, struggling to keep from waking any of those sleeping.

The young woman glanced over her shoulder and the sight of her made his blood chill. She didn't look human –beyond the obvious. Covered in the black shadows of the room, her pale skin seemed to glow while her hair disappeared into the background. Tendrils hung in her face and her eyes glistened like a dogs in dim light, reflecting like a possessed demon.

He knew instantly that it meant she was shifted –taking on her hybrid nature because her eyes wouldn't shine like that ordinarily, and the thought terrified him.

Klaus saw her hovering over Hope's sleeping figure like a creature from the depths and he knew he had to get her out of the room –out of the house- as quickly as possible. Charging forward, he grasped her bicep with every intention of yanking her away, but he was suddenly met with resistance.

He tried again, but this time K jerked back, forcing Klaus to shift his feet to compensate.

"Come with me." He said through a clenched jaw.

Her response was haunting. Instead of saying a word, a low, deep growl emanated from her throat.

Calling on more strength than he thought he needed to, Klaus grasped tightly and tore Kali from her stance over Hope. He dragged her kicking and screaming through the house like she was a wild animal. He briefly wondered how true the statement was.

He didn't stop until they were safely outside, far from the house so at least no one would hear them yelling. He tossed her away, un-surprised when she easily caught herself. He was fuming.

"The _hell_ do you think you're doing here?!" he demanded.

"Leave me alone." She shot back.

"No," Klaus was nearly shaking with rage. "You're meant to be half-way 'round the world. You'll answer my damn question."

"What did you think would happen when you took my children away from me?!" she screamed. "I have the right to see her."

"No you don't. You gave up that right years ago."

"Gave up? _Gave up?!_ It wasn't a choice, you ridiculous idiot! I did it to save you and your stupid family." The two began to pace one another in a wide circle. "Because, yet again, you all managed to completely fuck the world. But no shock, really. You're all Mikaelsons."

He ground his teeth. K barely seemed herself and he knew why. She was too close to Hope for who-knew-how-long. The witch inside her had to be taking control, it had to be affecting who she was and he knew it. That fact didn't make her words any less biting, however.

"Go home." He demanded, pointing a stern finger into the distance. "We'll discuss this when I return."

"You're not going to send me away, not when I'm so close to finally being able to see Hope again."

"This isn't you, Kali. The Hollow is twisting you, now leave before that bloody witch makes you do something you'll regret."

"I'm not going anywhere." She growled.

Klaus wasn't as surprised as he should have been when she began her trudge back towards the house, but her response was something else. When he stood in her path to stop her, Kali didn't hesitate to strike him. Her fist smashed against the side of his face harder than he thought her capable. He was dazed for a moment and a moment was all it took.

When his senses returned, K was perhaps ten yards from the house again and that was too close. Klaus ran for her, grabbed her by the shoulders and flung her back. Kali sailed through the air, twisting her body before doing something that nearly stunned Niklaus stupid.

A nearly black timber wolf landed in her place, glaring hatefully at him with neon green eyes, teeth bared and tattered fabric clinging to its thick coat. The animal lowered its head and drew its ears back. With a hefty shake, the clothes that once draped K's body fell to the grass.

She was immense, though he knew he could say the same for any hybrid. Her fur was dark in color if not black, with hints of grey obvious within the undercoat. She'd be beautiful if it weren't for the glowing white teeth.

"Kali," he told her in a strong, but calm voice. "Don't do something you'll regret."

The wolf's growls grew louder before it barked at him with that twisted sound wolves were known for. He knew she was lost in her anger because he'd been there before himself. He also knew the fight that was coming would be a vicious one.

When K charged for him again, Klaus reacted instinctively. He shifted as well and met her with teeth bared.

The sound of vicious fighting filled the air and gave those in the house direction. Hayley and Hope woke when they heard the scuffle to get out of the house, but Klaus and K had disappeared too quickly. Now, the ferocious sounds gave them an idea.

To Hayley's horror, two large wolves were battling viciously on her property. She didn't have to guess who they were. She simply knew, even without the clothes on the grass.

"Oh god," she muttered. "Hope," Hayley stepped in front of her daughter to shield her from the sight. "Go inside, now."

"But… why?"

"Now!"

The sharp sound forced one of the wolves to look up. Green eyes focused on Hope and just like that, the fight was over. Hayley continued to stand protectively in front of the young teen and that seemed to be what did it.

Klaus paced. With his head down, he too took a stance in front of the two young woman and squared himself off on K. Taking advantage of the hesitation, Hayley scooped up Hope and raced inside, locking the door behind her when she had.

With his daughter now away and safe, Klaus turned back into the man he once was. He stood over the wolf with blood smeared across his skin. They hadn't pulled back when fighting, and each bore the marks of it –albeit temporarily.

"Enough, Kali." He said evenly. She growled at him again. "Don't you see what's happening?! You're frightening her."

And that seemed to be what finally broke through the animal. Klaus saw her flinch and take a step back. Seeing it made Klaus relax, though only a bit.

"Please, leave." He sounded defeated.

It took a moment or two, but eventually, the animal did just that –disappearing quickly into the darkness. Klaus let his shoulders slump, but he wasn't at ease. That was far too close, too dangerous. He'd never seen Kali act like that before, at least not towards him. He knew she was capable of immense rage and violence, but this was something different and it frightened him.

What was he supposed to do when the most stable person in their marriage seemed to be slowly breaking?

 **AN:** I hope you liked this little bit so far, and as promised, my plug. I have two erotic romances that have been published (yes, I know, lol) The first is entitled _Hope_ , by _C. Tyler_ , and the second is _A Rockstar in her Bed_. If that's your thing, check them out. You can get them on most sites that sell e-books -Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc. If not, no harm done. :)

See you next time!


	2. Chapter 2

**AN:** Hey guys! Not too long, but this is the last chapter before we join the show. I hope you enjoy it and let me know that you think!

 **Chapter Two**

K sat in the Square, leaning back on a bench wearing an ill-fitting dress she'd snatched off someone's clothes line. The thinly strapped garment was easily three sizes too big and without underwear, she was incredibly aware of how easily she could be exposed, but truthfully couldn't care less if she tried. Instead, her mind was too busy with thoughts of what happened at Hayley's house.

With her arms draped over the back of the wooden slates supporting her, K let her mind drift. She couldn't believe what happened. She had no control over herself, and didn't know why. It wasn't just The Hollow, either –that much she knew.

The best K could guess, it was her own feelings of abandonment and fear that simply gave that witch the opening. Kali had been afraid of what may happen with her boys gone, scared they may not come back and Klaus would abscond with them. Her fear became anger which fueled her determination to make sure everything was alright. And, that's when the witch surfaced. K felt it coax her into the actions, felt it encourage her to simply "see" Hope.

Her head fall back on the bench letting K stare at the sky. How could she have been so foolish, so reckless? She knew better than that. She was stronger than that, and yet, for those few moments, the Hollow won.

"Shit," she sighed.

Within a few seconds, K knew she'd either completely, or nearly, destroyed everything. She wasn't worried about Klaus. He'd heal. It was Hope and Hayley. Hayley knew what K was capable of –now given a glimpse of it-, but it was the fear on Hope's face that… it broke K's heart, honestly, because she was the cause.

The sound of bare feet patting against asphalt caused K to lift her head. Her heart sank. It was Klaus, walking towards her wearing a pair of jeans and nothing else with something in his hand. His fair skin was still smeared with blood and if she had to guess, K assumed he'd simply grabbed a pair of pants and followed after her. He wanted to keep an eye on her.

K lowered her arms and set her hands gently in her lap. "I'm sorry, Nik." She told him with all sincerity.

He arched an annoyed brow and continued to approach in silence. When he stood nearly arm's length from her, he offered the objects in his hand. It was her wallet, cellphone and passport. K hadn't brought luggage with her when she flew to Virginia, only the things needed to enter the country. Of course when she turned, they'd been left behind at Hayley's with the rest of her clothes.

"Thanks," she muttered as she took them from him.

Still silent, Klaus fell onto the bench beside her with a heavy sigh. She didn't know if another fight was coming or not, so she simply waited.

Minutes passed with nothing before Klaus turned to her. K met his eye.

"Too close, Kali." He told her simply.

She nodded with a sigh. Her eyes drifted back to the horizon. "I know."

"You can't simply come here whenever you choose."

"I know." She repeated in the same dejected tone. "And it won't happen again. I promise."

She could feel his eyes, see him staring at her out of her periphery, but K didn't bother turning to acknowledge it.

An unspoken agreement passed between them. Klaus told her internally that she had to go home, that it was clearly too dangerous for her to remain and a litany of other things pertaining to what'd just happened. Kali heard it in her own head and agreed wholeheartedly. She just didn't trust herself in Mystic Falls anymore.

"Tomorrow." She finally said. "Let me leave tomorrow."

Klaus took a deep breath, but let it out slowly. He wanted to argue with her, to say she had to leave that instant, but he didn't want to at the same time. The truth was, it was technically Christmas Day, and while she couldn't be near Hope, it was perhaps the closest to a familial holiday as he could wish for. At least his wife and his children were in the same city.

She felt his fingers thread through hers and held his hand tight. "Tomorrow." He agreed.

They remained on the bench for a little while before the sun began to rise. Eventually, the town would wake and begin to celebrate the commercialized holiday.

* * *

Donning an outfit stolen from a local store and much more appropriate for the winter weather, K paced lazily through the Square. With her hands shoved in her pockets, she looked at the decorations, the wreaths and trees, and the people walking around her. It was a quaint little scene, but seemed oddly out of place. Perhaps that was simply because she knew how poisonous Mystic Falls truly was.

K swore the land was cursed. It honestly wouldn't surprise her if what Mikael did to his children a thousand years ago, the magic used and the plague of vampires he'd created all that time ago, didn't actually taint the whole area.

Scowling at the thought, K lazily turned in her spot. She was waiting for Klaus to bring the boys to her so she could see them for a little while before leaving the country again, and while content to stay in her own mind, something quickly ripped her into the present.

As her eyes danced languidly over the faceless crowd, two individuals suddenly caught her attention and once held she couldn't look away. Across the way and past a few groups, was Damon and Elena. They seemed to notice her the same moment and the world around them froze.

For a moment, the world seemed to tunnel around them. It didn't disappear, necessarily, but became little more than background noise.

K could see the pair was caught somewhere between terrified and cautious. Given their past, it was the safest way for them to act around her.

Damon took a preemptive stance in front of Elena, as though he was shielding her from a possible attack. K thought it was funny and didn't bother hiding her smirk. If she wanted to harm either of them, there was no way he could stop her and they all knew it. But clearly, he thought he had to try.

"There you are, darling."

Klaus' warm voice caused K to break her gaze with Salvatore. When she turned, she saw her husband approaching with a boy on each hip. It had to be awkward given the two were almost too big to be carried like that together. If they could do little more than gamble about like baby horses, she was sure he'd have let them walk on their own.

Their faces lit up the instant they saw her, and the same could be said for K. Immediate relief and calm swept through her body at the sight of her sons. It was as though all previous tension left her at once.

"There are my boys." She cooed, reaching out for the little one's doing the same for her.

K took them from Klaus and knelt down, letting the two stand on their own while she hugged them. It was hard for her not to squeeze the pair, but the urge was definitely there.

In the distance, Elena and Damon continued to spy. They clearly saw Klaus and the two identical boys approach. They saw the way K reacted to them and how they clung to one another. Rationally, they could make the assumption that the two were her children, but the fact that she was a vampire –as they last knew it- kept them from truly believing what they saw.

"That's…" Damon began.

"…creepy." Elena finished. He nodded.

They were unsettled by the sight, even more so when K stood again. She took one boy, Klaus the other, and –for some reason- looked in their direction. The pair felt an undeniable chill course through them. A wicked, borderline cruel smirk touched Klaus' full lips as he –with his freehand- took K's and together, the little family walked off, disappearing into the crowd as though they belonged.

"I think I'm going to have to call Caroline." Elena grumbled. Her stomach hadn't stopped twisting since K had spotted them.

"Yeah," Damon nodded. "That's a good idea. Meanwhile, lets get off the street in case anymore Mikaelsons show up."

* * *

Two Weeks Later:

The damage caused by K's "outburst" over Christmas was minimal, and she was thankfully able to come back from it. According to Klaus, Hope and Hayley understood completely.

But there was still the issue of K's clear rage. Klaus saw it as easily as the words in a book. It was undeniable and he knew that if it wasn't slated one way or another, there was a chance she could lash out again. He didn't know what it felt like having that _thing_ swimming around inside him, but he imagined it was unpleasant.

And it was. K hated it. She swore she felt the Hollow more now than before. Apparently that little snippet of contact with Hope was all the beast needed to stir. Now, she felt it at all times.

Klaus approached the nursery with his idea. He'd been thinking his plan over for a day or two and had finally landed on a way to execute it. Now, he just needed to reveal the wonderful news to K.

As he reached the doorway, he saw her sitting between the two cribs. It wouldn't be long now before the boys would get their own toddler beds.

The speed at which they grew astounded him.

" _When will we meet again, sweetheart? When will we meet again?"_ K sang sweetly to the two sleeping infants. " _When the autumn leaves that fall from trees are green and spring up again."_

A smile curled his full lips. The scene was one he'd cherish –his wife sitting between identical beds holding their sons. He never thought his life would turn out like this, but for once, he was happy.

"Sweetheart," he finally said in a soft voice. K languidly gave him her attention and smiled lightly. "May I speak with you for a moment?"

"Of course," she nodded. K stood, glanced one final time to her sons and left the room so that she and Klaus could talk.

When they made it to the living room, she took a seat and simply waited for his plan. For a moment, Klaus said nothing. He wanted to find a tactful way of putting it, but in truth, he couldn't.

"You need to control yourself." He said bluntly.

K arched a brow and a distinct "judging" glare took over. "Did you, of all people, just tell me to control myself?" she asked in a deadpan voice.

He fought the urge to roll his eyes and simply proceeded. "And I've an idea how." K did, in fact, roll her eyes at him, however, but she had to admit she was intrigued by the wicked smirk that took his lips. "We're going hunting."

She narrowed her eyes and tilted her head marginally to the side. "What do you mean?"

Still smiling victoriously at his plan, Klaus took a seat beside K and proceeded to tell her what they were going to do.

Together, side by side with their children, they were going to hunt down and murder anyone who threatened their family. At first, K wasn't certain what he meant, but after explaining how afraid he was for Elijah's safety, she was more than willing to help. Not only would it help her release her frustration and anger for her current situation, but it would ensure that one of her oldest friends –her brother, actually- was safe.

Somehow, she'd forgotten about his memory wipe and how vulnerable it left him.

"So, what do you think, darling?" Klaus asked while already knowing the answer.

K smiled genuinely and reached forward, cradling Klaus' jaw sweetly. "I love it." She said with just a hint of the animalistic desire for blood that he adored so much

Smiling, he leaned forward and kissed her. K happily returned the sentiment.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN:** Hey guys! Another really short one, and I'm sorry, but damn! I'm not sure how to work the next couple of chapters considering K's the one with the Hollow inside her, not Klaus. lol. It's a little tricky, but hopefully next week's chapter will definitely make up for it. So, to help assuage you guys, I wrote a little bit of sexy time. lol. Enjoy and let me know what you think!

 **Chapter Three**

Four Years Later:

 _Paris, France_

"Come along, darling." Klaus goaded as he and Kali continued to walk effortless by the crowd. "The sitter has been compelled within an inch of her life to ensure the boys' safety. There's no need to worry."

K's expression had remained tight since leaving Matthew and Alexander with the French sitter only an hour prior. In fact, she slammed the heels of her ridiculously expensive shoes against the cobblestone streets so harshly, Klaus wondered if the two thousand dollars he'd spent on them earlier that day would already go to waste.

"Well, I'm sorry." She snapped a bit sharply. "But we don't even know this girl. What if she's…"

"If she's what, sweetheart?" he queried. "She's a simple human girl, barely twenty, yes, but more than capable."

Her jaw flexed and he knew she wasn't put to ease just yet. While he could benefit from her agitation, he still wanted her at least a little calm.

Grasping her wrist, Klaus planted his feet and forced her to turn to face him. K was still on edge, which he expected. Despite their sons being seven now and quite strong in their own right, she was still the Mother Bear, protecting them as though they were newborns.

"Kali," he sighed softly. Klaus tenderly ran the back of his curled index finger down the length of her cheek sweetly. "Do you truly believe that I, of all people, would leave our sons in the hands of someone subpar?"

He saw the muscles in her jaw chord and tense as she chewed on the inside of her cheek.

"Of course not." She replied. Her voice was still laced with the remnants of an English lilt from her time in London. True it wasn't as strong as his or even Rebekah's accents, but it touched just enough. He rather liked it. "But I still worry."

"I know, my darling." He cradled her softly. "But let us enjoy the night, hm? It's so rare the two of us get a moment alone."

A gentle smile began to curl at her blood red lips. "Alright."

"Wonderful," he smiled, giving her a chaste kiss only a moment later.

Together, they approached the nightclub and the man standing sentry. The Goliath couldn't be less impressed with Klaus' diatribe, though truthfully probably didn't understand it. Still, that didn't save his life.

Plunging his hand into the man's chest, Klaus removed his still-beating heart and turned to the crowd. Without a word, he bit into it happily and beamed with a bloody smile. Chewing for only a moment, Klaus soon spat out the touch meat and dropped the muscle to the ground with a sickening thwack.

"Though personally," he told the stunned onlookers, "I've always preferred Klaus the Mad, along with my wonderful wife, Kali, but you know her better as Jack the Ripper." Horrified glances danced between the two smiling monsters. "Do tell your friends." He said. Only half seemed to have gained the ability to move. It wasn't until K gave a sharp and sudden _boo_ that the others followed suit.

They laughed as the humans fled. Klaus turned to K and eyed her lovingly. She did the same, even leaning forward and kissing him deeply, tasting his victim's blood on his lips.

The passion grew quickly, though she couldn't help it. K truly loved the vicious side of Klaus, even more now than before, and she relished in the sight of it.

Drawing back, she took his bottom lip between her teeth and had to fight a shudder when he growled that seductively alluring sound. His dark eyes met hers and it was clear they had one thing on their minds.

"Later, sweetheart." He said, sounding a bit annoyed the ache in his trousers would have to wait. "First," he took her hand, sliding his bloodied fingers into hers. "We have business to tend to."

"Lead the way, husband."

Together, they walked –uninhibited- into the establishment.

* * *

Soaked in blood when they returned in the late hours of the morning, Klaus was sure to compel the sitter to ignore it while K immediately went to the boys. Each were sleeping soundly in their respective bed, nestled beneath the blankets and out for the night. She smiled lovingly and wanted so badly to reach out and kiss them both or stroke their hair, but she refrained. She was still bloodied, after all.

Klaus emerged in the doorway only a moment after dismissing the girl and smiled at the sight. No matter how tumultuous, how strained and difficult it'd been over the last few years to keep his small family moving, he was so happy to have them. They gave him a semblance of normality and helped assuage his guilt at not contacting Hope through the years. Though he frequently lied to K about it. She'd kill him if she knew the truth.

After a moment or two of swooning over the twins, K stood and joined Klaus in the doorway.

"Perhaps we should shower?" she said. "I'm beginning to crust."

He chuckled and nodded, and together, they took to the shower.

The water cascaded from a nozzle overhead, simulating rainfall and it saturated them both easily. Klaus tenderly swiped the washrag along K's skin, freeing it over whatever blood had soaked through her dress. She fell easily into the action and felt the fires from before begin to stir. Thankfully, he felt the same.

Klaus closed the distance between them and pressed his chest to her back. "You were vicious tonight." He said, letting his hand trail around the front of her body. "It was glorious."

"And you," she reached behind and threaded her fingers through his hair, "Were deliciously violent." K clenched her fist and delighted in the groan that came from him. "My perfect devil."

A smirk tugged at his lips. Klaus grasped her chest and squeezed tight. He felt her coo ripple through him, sending his hair on end.

"My beautiful ripper."

He nipped at her ear before spinning her in place and claiming her lips. The two began to paw at one another, grasping at their partner to be as close as possible.

Klaus lifted K into the air, pressing her back to the tempered tile wall and drove into her. K didn't bother remaining silent, of keep her nails from slicing into his shoulders. They could be gentle. They could be tender and loving. But, they were also passionate, and violent, and held nothing back because they didn't have to. Ever.

He continued to move against her, eliciting cries of pleasure from K with each pass. He was close and he knew she was, too. It never lasted long. That much raw desire and attraction rarely did.

Rearing back, Klaus bit into her shoulders. K cried out yet again, but not of pain. Instead, he felt her body shudder around him as she was pushed into oblivion, he tasted it in her blood along with the animal who had long-since risen to the surface. There was no question she was a hybrid now, and he tasted the difference.

Klaus released an instant later and road his own euphoria while he drank from her skin.

Slowly but surely, the world began to return and their wits along with it. Gradually, though neither truly wanted to, they parted, finished showering, and began to get ready for bed.

Lying there, dressed in their night clothes and trying to get an hour or so before the twins woke, Klaus had to force himself to speak. He'd been having a thought for a few days, but knew speaking it would possibly start a fight.

Regardless, K seemed to sense it –as she always did.

"Just say it." She sighed.

Klaus rolled his head to the side and noticed K's eyes were closed, her face half-buried in the pillow as she tried to get some sleep. He smiled internally, but didn't speak. After a moment of silence, she pried open a single eye. She could tell what was on his mind almost immediately.

"I don't mind." She told him. "But you know I can't be near him."

"I know," he nodded. "Are you certain you don't wish to join me, though?"

K's brows came together and she pushed herself up to better look at him. He saw sadness.

"Of course I do." She told him as though it should've been obvious. "But I can't be near Elijah, Nik. You know that. It's bad enough I spent so long near Hope, and that I've…" her head dipped. "That I've gone to see him with you at all." K gradually met his stare. "I love Elijah, sweetheart, but I can't." she scratched absently at her chest and he noticed.

When speaking about The Hollow, Klaus would notice inadvertent actions from K. She'd scratch at herself, twist and tense as though she felt a thousand ants crawling over her skin. He imagined it was reflex at this point, simply something she did whenever thoughts of the witch came to mind.

"Besides," she forced a smile. "Someone needs to watch the boys."

Klaus reluctantly forced a smile of his own and nodded. Reaching over, he pulled her to his side. The two got as comfortable as they could and eventually drifted into sleep.

* * *

Klaus had been gone for just over a day leaving K and the boys home alone while he went to see Elijah. It was safer for him, but she felt the draw, too. It was so hard to stay away from her family.

As she stood in the kitchen dicing up an apple for Matthew's lunch, she heard something in the background. It caused her to pause briefly, but when she didn't hear it again, she continued until their lunches were complete.

Taking a plate into each hand, she called out. "Lunch!"

Almost the same instant there was a clear mad-dash for the dining room. She smiled to herself when the two clamored for their chairs. They'd grown so much.

"PB&J and apples." She said as she set them down on the table.

"Thank you," they chimed in unison.

K smiled as the two tucked in almost immediately. She loved her boys very much.

Turning, she made her way back to the kitchen, but didn't quite make it.

"Mommy," she heard in a small voice. K turned once again to face her sons. She wasn't sure who spoke.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

Alexander tapped his apple slice lazily against his plastic plate before daring a glance up. "What's wrong with you?"

She was taken aback by the question and his innocent sincerity, so much so that it took her brain a moment to return to reality.

"What?" she asked.

This time, Matthew looked up, donning a smear of blackberry jam across his cheeks from where he'd bitten into his sandwich.

"What wrong with you?" he asked, repeating his brother's question.

"What do you mean, darling?"

"There's something inside you." Alexander continued, eating his lunch as though they were having the most mundane of conversations. Meanwhile, K felt her insides twist. "And it's wrong."

"Yeah, wrong." Matthew nodded.

They were so casual about something so extremely disturbing that it made K uncomfortable.

"So what is it?" Alex asked.

"Uh…" she hesitated. K wasn't really sure how to explain the truth to a pair of seven-year-olds. "It's complicated."

The two nodded lazily and after a moment, K let herself calm just a bit. Unfortunately, they weren't as finished with the conversation as she'd hoped.

"It's getting stronger." Matt said.

"She's coming." Alex added.

K stared at her boys wide-eyed. They looked like they were talking about nothing, like they were telling her that there was a bird on the fence. They were just so calm and casual, and that somehow made it so unsettling.

Worse yet, K knew they were right.

Fighting the urge to call Klaus immediately, K forced a smile and disappeared into the kitchen. There was no need to show her sons how terrified their simple statement made her feel.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys! Author's note at the end. Enjoy!**

 **Chapter Four**

The phone rang for what felt like an eternity before the other end of the line was finally picked up.

"Kali, hi." Hayley's surprised voice greeted her. "How's it going?"

"Fine," K said, a bit forced. "Um, everything's fine."

There was a brief pause. "What's wrong?"

K chewed on her lip, bit into the inside of her cheek as she thought about what to say. She had questions –questions she doubted Hayley could answer- but ones she had to get off her chest.

"How are things with Hope?"

Hayley took in a long, deep breath. The fact was, things with Hope were becoming complicated, and while she wanted to lie, Hayley had a habit of telling K the truth when it came to their little girl.

So she told the truth. She told K everything, from Hope selling her blood, to the fact that the wolves and vampires were freaking out because there was another hybrid in play. Worse yet, the hybrid was a child.

K couldn't put into words how disappointed she was in Hope for something so stupid. True, she had the right to do a lot of things, but it was obvious Hope had no idea what she'd done.

Turning kids –and that's exactly what this boy was- was so dangerous. It locked them forever in a tumultuous state. Their hormones were already raging, shifting around so much they couldn't find anything to settle on for long, and now he was an animal. Actually, he was a pair of animals, given immeasurable strength and an incredible appetite.

How could Hope have been so stupid?

"So," Hayley finally said with a heavy, exhausted sigh. "How are the twins?"

It was K's turn to become exasperated. "That's why I've called, actually." K leaned forward, propping her elbow on her knees and running her fingers through her hair as she thought. "They're so much like Hope, Hayley. It's almost frightening."

"How?"

And like Hayley had with her, K simply blurted out the truth.

"They said they can see it? Like… I actually see it."

"That's what they said."

Another bought of silence followed her declaration. K wasn't certain what she thought Hayley would tell her, but she needed something. Hayley was the sane one in their family, the one that helped balance everyone else. It wasn't as though K could tell Klaus. She knew he'd realize that it meant their sons were powerful, he'd see it as a benefit. But Hayley, Hayley saw it from a mother's point of view, saw it as something worrying like K did.

"Wow," she finally mumbled.

K did little more than nod.

They'd gone through something similar with Hope when she was young, but those were voices. Hope heard the witches, heard things the others couldn't because she was not only strong, but a connected to that side of reality. But, this was something different. Yes, Hope had heard the Hollow previously, but the boys actually saw her and there was something more terrifying in that. It was harder for K to hide from them.

"Anyway," K eventually sighed, "Is there anything else happening?"

"Not really, no." Hayley replied. "She does miss you guys, though."

K's stomach sank just a bit and her head dropped. She missed Hope, too, but their last meeting wasn't exactly a good one. She wondered if the little girl still had flashes of K and Klaus in wolf form tearing each other to pieces. She prayed no.

"I wish I could see her." K admitted. "You're still keeping school pictures and stuff for me, aren't you?"

"Oh, yeah." Hayley said quickly.

It'd been an agreement long ago that Hayley would do for K what K had done for Klaus –commemorating Hope's life through the years. At first she didn't understand why K wouldn't simply want the pictures as they came, but K explained it was simple. Seeing her growing up just made K want to seek Hope out more than before. After what happened over Christmas all those years ago, she assumed Hayley finally understood completely.

"But she still misses you guys." Hayley continued. "I think she understands why she can't see you, but with Klaus, it's breaking-"

"What do you mean?" K interrupted.

There was a light pause on the other end of the line, one that only lasted seconds, but gave K a thought she couldn't push past. He wouldn't…

"Kali, Klaus hasn't been around in years." She said plainly. K's jaw flexed. "I thought you knew that?"

"No," her voice was as tight as the rest of her. "I didn't. How long's it been since she's seen him?"

"I don't know… two years?"

"Two…" K had to stop herself from yelling. It wasn't Hayley's fault –obviously- but she was getting more and more angry the longer she was on the phone with the young woman. She calmed herself. "He told me he's been visiting her in Mystic Falls."

"Well," she sighed. "He hasn't."

It didn't make sense to K why Klaus had seemingly stopped visiting Hope. Through the years, whenever K and Hayley would speak to one another, it somehow hadn't been brought up. The pair generally talked about the kids, or anything happening in Hayley's life. If ever the comment of how much Hope misses the pair of them, K simply assumed it was because they weren't around like they used to be. She never guessed it was because Klaus had simply dropped off the face of the earth.

"I'll talk to him," was the last thing K said on the subject.

~!~

Klaus returned home a few days later. The moment he walked through the door, he was leapt on by the boys. K remained seated in the living room, smiling at the interaction, but still annoyed with him over what Hayley had told her.

The day progressed as it normally would, and when Matthew and Alexander were finally put to sleep, K broached the subject. She didn't much feel like fighting in front of the boys, and there most definitely would be fighting.

"Spoke with Hayley a couple of days ago." She said as he poured them both something to drink.

"Hm?" he made a noise versus actually speaking.

K remained silent until he turned and offered her a drink. She saw his brows twitch slightly at the stern look on her face. Good.

"She told me you haven't been to see Hope in two years, Nik." She told him evenly. His jaw tensed. "Two years."

"It doesn't matter." He mumbled.

And that set her off. Before K could truly control the volume of her voice, she was yelling at Klaus for his selfishness, for turning his back on his daughter. She told him that she didn't put herself through that spell just so he could walk away from her anyway.

K fumed and screamed, shot insults and brought up valid points. All the while, Klaus remained silent. He didn't say anything and took her angry abuse. The truth was, he didn't have a valid excuse, so he simply kept his mouth shut.

~!~

Hayley's missing, Klaus is in New Orleans, and K can't stop pacing.

It took everything in her not to follow him to the city in search of the Crescent Queen, but she couldn't. Not only did she have the boys, but Hayley had told her she's taken Hope home to the manor after her ordeal at school. K had to remain as far from New Orleans as possible, which made the fact that one of her dearest friends was missing all the worse.

K and Hayley shared a special relationship built on mutual pain, heartache and love. It was stronger than most any friendship K could claim to have with anyone else in her long life –including the Bennetts- and that was something she never thought she could say. The bond they had was indescribable, and now she was missing.

Those five years they spent searching for the family's cures may have been short, but she, Hayley and Hope became a family during them, a tightknit family –and now one of them was missing.

The boys were sleeping, but K couldn't manage. Instead, she was sitting on the back stoop with a glass of blood, her knee bouncing uncontrollably and her phone nearby in case there was a call. She had no doubt Klaus would find the hybrid, but there was no way to know how long it would take.

Silence had enveloped her for so long that the sudden cry of her phone made K's insides lurch. She quickly snatched for her phone, dropping her glass of blood the same instant. The cell phone was to her ear before the glass shattered against the concrete.

"Hello?" she answered quickly. "Nik, did you find her?"

Nothing. Nothing greeted her ear except for a soft, almost inaudible whimpering sound. Light, shaky breaths were all she could hear and for some reason, those sounds made her skin crawl. She already knew. She already knew who this tiny, weak sound belonged to, but she couldn't make herself speak.

And then came a quivering, "Mama?"

The air had been purged from K's lungs in one long gust. Her shoulders began to tremble and tears formed in her eyes. This was the first time she'd heard Hope's voice in so very long.

For a moment or two, no one spoke. The weight of the phone call –even though nothing had been said- seemed to be holding them both hostage. But eventually, she found the strength.

"Mama, are…"

"Hope," K breathed. Her eyes fell shut and tears trailed down her cheeks. "Hello, sweetheart."

Hope broke. She began to cry into the phone, softly weeping from thousands of miles away and all K could do was… nothing. She could do nothing, but listen.

Her arms ached to hold the little girl, the seven-year-old Hope that still lived in her mind, but it was impossible. All K could do was listen to her cry.

"Shhh," K eventually said in a soft, sing-songy tone. "It's alright, sweetie. It's okay."

"No," she mumbled into the receiver. "No, it's not."

"Why?" K kept her voice sweet and kind, motherly despite how much it hurt her to do it.

There were a few more sniffs, and a few more strangled breaths before Hope seemed to gather herself enough to speak. K could still hear her struggling to keep from crying.

"Dad hates me."

K's brows came together curiously. "What are you talking about? Of course he doesn't."

"Yes he does, because of what I did."

"Hope," she said sweetly, "I'm sure no matter what's happened-"

"I'm the one who took mom."

K's back tensed. She clenched her jaw and thought about what that meant for a moment. On the one hand, it meant Hayley was in no real danger. On the other, it meant Hope turned on her mother. It was a tossup as to which situation vied for her attention the most.

"Am I broken?"

The random question snapped K back into the moment. It shot down her "disappointed mother" feelings and brought up the need to reassure her little girl once more.

"Broken? Why would you be broken?"

"That's what dad said I am." She started to cry again. "He said he broke me."

Again, K's head dipped. "That isn't what he meant, sweetheart. He's just afraid."

"Of me?"

"No, of course not. He's," K took a breath and let it out softly, "He's afraid you'll be like the rest of us, that's what he meant."

"I don't understand."

K ran her fingers through her head and tried to think of a way to better describe what she meant.

"Sweetheart," she began softly, "It's us, who are broken. We… we've been through so much that it's hard not to become… toxic. And your father is afraid that we are… infecting you."

"Infecting me? You guys aren't like a disease." She said sternly.

"We are, actually. That's the best way to describe most of us. Your mother's perhaps the only one who isn't." K took a deep breath and sighed once again. "The fact is, a thousand years of sins is a hard thing to ash away.

"You don't know much about your grandparents, but Mikael was… he was a bad man, and he broke you father, your aunts and uncles, when they were very young. Nik is afraid he'll do the same to you.

"He doesn't think you're broken, sweetheart. It's him."

 **AN:** Hey guys. I hope you liked the story. I'm sorry it's been so long. I was sick for a little while and then life got in the way. I want to promise it won't happen again, but I'm sure you guys know how it can get. So, again, I'm sorry this update took so freaking long. I'll do my best to keep them more consistent from now on. :)


	5. Chapter 5

**AN:** Hey guys! Sorry this took so long. Lost track of the week. lol. Let me know what you think and -as always- enjoy!

 **Chapter Five**

Klaus wasn't answering his phone, which only made K grow more and more impatient. Being so far away, she had nothing to go off of other than the few tidbits she was given. The trouble came when those tidbits ended.

She did manage to calm Hope down, though. She was fairly certain the little girl was still worried about what Klaus had said, but K tried her best. It was true, after all. Klaus wasn't calling Hope broken. He was just afraid he'd infected her with whatever darkness surrounded them.

One who did finally answer their phone, however, was Freya. Thankfully, the blonde actually told K what was happening in The Big Easy since no one else was offering anything. Hope had been taken back to Mystic Falls so Klaus could remain in New Orleans. K wasn't entirely certain why she'd been "banished" back to school, but assumed it was for that reason. It was school.

But Klaus… Oh, dear, sweet, temperamental Klaus, still refused to speak with K and that simply wouldn't do. Did he already forget whom he'd married? Foolish mistake, surely.

* * *

"Maybe you're right." Marcel said as he loomed over the madman in a box. "But that still doesn't mean I can trust you. Look at what you've done in the last twenty-four hours alone."

"You've always known I've had a temper, Marcellus, but you of all people can trust that I just want to find Hayley."

The younger man stood above the demon in the coffin and weighed his choices. He knew Klaus was unstable. If there was one thing everyone in the world knew, one thing that never changed, it was that Klaus Mikaelson shifted attitudes more freely than one could count. It was the only unassailable fact about the hybrid –that he was always unpredictable.

But, along with that, Marcel also knew there was nothing Klaus wouldn't do for family, and Hayley was nothing, if not family. He also knew how much the hybrid queen meant to everyone in the city. Through the years, Hayley was the one person that could move through the factions without resistance, was the one they held with respect because she gave them respect in return. And he liked her. Marcel liked Hayley, too. So, perhaps, against his better judgment, he'd have to side with the Devil, yet again.

With a groan and a sigh, Marcel stomped his foot. The concrete cracked and broke letting the sand-made barrier seep in. The circle was broken, allowing him to enter it easily and break Klaus' chains with the same lack of effort.

"Don't make me regret this." Marcel warned.

Klaus did nothing but smirk his wicked smile. Together, the pair left the dungeons and ascended the stairwell.

"First things first," Klaus said as he took strong, determined steps towards the front door. "We need to assemble every vampire in the city."

"And then?" Marcel asked skeptically. He hated it when Klaus already had plans in mind.

"Yes," a cool, cold voice said. The pair stopped their advance and stared in shock at the dark-haired young woman standing at the opposite end of the courtyard, tenderly holding the hands of two boys bearing identical faces. "What then, dear husband?"

"Kali," Klaus breathed. For some reason, he sounded as though he'd seen a ghost before him, but the reality was far more terrifying. The truth was, that amidst the manhunt for Hayley, the body parts being sent to them with cryptic notes, K had appeared, and not alone. "What are you doing here?"

"How long did you honestly think I'd tolerate you not picking up your phone?" her voice remained icy as her gaze drifted to Marcel. "Marcel, hello."

"K," he gave her a gentle nod. "And who are these guys?"

"My sons," she told him simply. The resemblance was growing more and more prominent through the years, so there was no denying it, and Marcel didn't have to bother asking who the father was. That question was answered quickly.

"Daddy!" they chimed in unison.

Almost immediately, the boys released K's hands and charged for Klaus. Despite his shock, he dropped to his knees and embraced his boys like any father would.

"Hello, lads." He smiled, feigning enough joy he hoped it sounded genuine. In fact, he was terrified at the new complications.

Over their shoulders, he was sure to send K an angry glare. She did little more than raise a brow.

"Now then," Klaus drew back and smiled at both his sons. "My friend Marcellus and I," the boys glanced to the stranger. Marcel offered a kind smile. He wasn't certain what else to do. "Have some business to attend to. Stay here with you mother, and I'll be back home soon. Alright?"

"Promise?" Alexander asked in his small voice.

"Always." Klaus replied.

He gave each a chaste kiss on the forehead and stood. When his eyes fell to K once again, she could see his anger, but didn't care. She was annoyed herself.

"We'll discuss this later." He grumbled in French.

K wondered briefly at the choice, but assumed it was simply because he'd been to France recently and that was where they'd called home for so long.

"Sure," she replied curtly.

And with nothing more to say, Klaus and Marcel left the grounds.

* * *

Not long after Klaus left the house, K got the boys settled into her old room. She was glad to see it still in one piece. They were tired after the long flights, so with little prompting and a small something to eat, they fell asleep. For a while, their internal clocks would be off, anyway.

Glancing at them once more before closing the door behind her, K reached into her pocket and retrieved her phone. She searched the numbers for one she had, but never used. Hayley gave it to her a long time ago as a "just in case" precaution. Honestly, K was surprised she needed it.

The phone rang and rang for a few minutes before a smooth but deep voice answered.

"Yeah?"

"Vincent," she said, "It's Kali, please don't hang up."

There was a long pause on the other end, long enough she actually had to check to see whether or not he'd hung up. When she saw the time still ticking away, she pressed the phone to her ear again.

"How'd you get this number?" his voice was deadpan and emotionless. She expected it, honestly.

"Hayley," she said. "A couple of years ago. She gave it to me in case of emergencies."

"Is this an emergency?" he didn't sound amused.

"Yes, actually. At least I think so." She took a breath and let it out softly. She knew how dangerous this conversation was. It wasn't as though she was worried about what "consorting with the witches" might bring. She was simply worried about how Vincent would react. "I'd like to ask a favor."

There was a distinct sigh on the other end of the line. It wasn't a normal sigh, per say. In fact, it held an undeniable edge of annoyance.

"Look, I got a lot on my plate already and I don't need you working on Klaus' behalf, trying to get spells out of us witches, okay? We're out, and I'm going to tell him the same damn thing, as soon as I see him."

Everything was spouted quickly and angrily. It shocked her, just a bit. She wasn't surprised by the anger, but at the sheer volume of it that he sent her way. K was unprepared for it.

"I…" her mind took a moment to come together again. She'd been so focused on what she needed that his barrage disarmed her, just a bit. "I'm not calling on Nik's behalf." She finally got out. "I'm calling because I need help. Or… my boys do, at least."

There was another brief pause. "Hayley told me you had kids." His voice had lost its volume, but not its annoyance and edge. Honestly, it was perhaps the only way he spoke to her for as long as she'd known him.

"I do." She said. "Boys- twins, actually."

"They like Hope?"

"Magical?"

"Yeah," he sounded despondent.

"Yes, they are." She mirrored the emotion. "But… I mean, will you do me this favor, please?"

K had become nervous again, a simple feeling she hated so much and hadn't felt in a long time. Nervousness led to weakness. The two walked hand-in-hand, in fact.

"What is it?" he asked. He still didn't sound happy, but Vincent was coming around, she could tell.

"My sons," she explained. "I'd like you to have a look at them."

"Why me? Why not Freya?"

"Because I can't entirely trust she'll tell me the truth, and…" her voice dropped off for a moment. "You've had more contact with the Hollow, than anyone I know."

K could practically see his face fall despite the inexplicable distance between them. She swore the air actually grew colder at the mention of that creature, and truly felt her insides twist when they had. It knew they were talking about her.

She spoke quickly during his hesitation.

"My sons are actually mine." She went on. "I don't know if Hayley told you that part, but I actually bore my sons. I'm no longer a vampire anymore, in fact, so you see, it's possible. But, that's the problem, too. I-"

"Had the Hollow inside you while you were pregnant." His voice was somber.

"Yes," she breathed the word.

There was another pause, this one tenser than the ones before because she'd finally told him the truth. Thankfully, he ended it with his agreement. K felt herself able to breathe after he said yes, and let her eyes drift shut in relief. They'd meet the following day in the Quarter, near his witches but not so close as to frighten them. She was fine with it, so long as they didn't go anywhere that would frighten her boys. K assumed he knew that and was, again, grateful.

* * *

Klaus returned later that night with Marcel and found K in the courtyard. She was standing not far from the box containing Hayley's skin and judging by the look on her face, she knew its contents.

"I am in no mood, darling." He told her tightly.

"No mood, hm?" she shot back with the same intensity. "This is handled, is it?" she lifted the box. "This is bringing her home safely?"

"I said-"

"You've said nothing." K said angrily. "I've been calling for days without a word and now I know why. What have you done?" she took slow steps towards him. "What have you done that caused this?"

"How are you so-"

"Don't insult me, Niklaus." She growled. He flinched. Hearing her call him that was no different than an agitated mother using her child's full name. He knew the mood she was in. "This is Hayley and they've sliced her up. What did you do?!"

In her rage, K threw the box down. She couldn't put into words how mad she was at him because she knew this was Klaus' doing. The man had no control, no tact, so of course he'd be brash enough to challenge captures. Without asking she knew it was his fault.

But in her anger, swimming in the emotion and her fear for her sons already, K barely heard the shattering of the wood. But the tinkling of metal, however, that she heard.

The air went tense and silent as attention slowly shifted to the mass of rubble at K's feet. There, barely visible beneath the soiled cloth was a piece of rounded metal. Klaus approached and knelt, picking up the coin when he did. K saw his face fall.

"What is it?" Marcel asked.

"A message," he mumbled, "From enemies I thought I'd buried long, long ago."

The muscle in Klaus' jaw chorded and rolled as he tensed it tightly in aggravation. Fisting the coin, he turned to Marcel.

"Fancy a hunt in the morning?" he asked, his tone lacking any of its usual glee when speaking about murder.

Marcel's eyes danced between Klaus' clenched fist and his angry glower. "Sure," he reluctantly said. "Just give me a call."

Klaus left with a parting nod, sure to grab K's arm firmly in passing. Marcel watched as the two made their way upstairs a single flight before leaving the compound.

"Where are the boys?" Klaus asked tersely while he continued to pull her along.

K –having enough of his attitude- snatched her arm away, forcing him to turn and face her. "Sleeping in my old room." She replied. "What's the coin mean, Nik?"

"Later,"

And with that, he jogged up the remaining steps to the floor that held his room. Glaring lightly, she followed after him.

When she found Klaus, he was standing near his bar pouring himself a drink, still keeping his fist clenched tightly around the Nazi gold.

"Why come here, Kaliope?" he asked, knowing that her name made her cringe internally. "Why bring our sons? You know New Orleans isn't safe."

"They are safest with me, Nik. I wasn't going to leave them with anyone else and the only people I trust are here in New Orleans in the first place."

"You shouldn't have come here." He said as he turned to her.

K's brows came together as she took slow steps towards him. "What would you have me do?" he said nothing. "Of course I came here. Hayley means more to me than you know and clearly there's been no headway. Not to mention you're refusing to answer my calls. What did you think I'd do? No one's telling me what's happening and I'm getting calls from Hope-"

"What?" he interrupted, surprised by her statement.

"Hope called me." K repeated softer than before.

His hardened exterior cracked just a bit. He knew what it meant for her to call K directly. Aside from letters and the like sent through third-party people, he knew the two hadn't spoken directly in years.

"Why?" he asked quietly.

"She's afraid."

"Of?"

"She thinks you hate her, Nik."

His exterior faltered completely and his eyes began to glisten immediately. K could practically see the impact of her simple statement and her heart broke for him, but it was true and she didn't lie to him. Sometimes, K thought he'd prefer she did.

"I couldn't." he breathed.

"I know, and she knows that, too. She's just frightened." K stepped closer until she was only a foot from him. K reached up and tenderly held his jaw in her hand, offering him a half-smile that she hoped was reassuring. "She knows you don't hate her, sweetheart. She knows."

"Can you be so certain?"

"Yes," she nodded. "Absolutely and completely."

He tried to nod, but it was little more than a jostle of the head. If there was proof needed that Hope meant the world to her father, it was this. Nothing, no person nor object in the world both known and otherwise could shatter him so completely than his daughter's unhappiness. He loved her more than K had seen him love anyone, including herself. Though, she was glad to be second place to his children.

"Now," she said, keeping her voice soft and kind. "Tell me about the coin."


	6. Chapter 6

**Enjoy!**

Chapter Six

K couldn't sleep that night, though she doubted she was alone. Despite Klaus lying with his back to her, facing the wall and as still as the dead, she somehow knew he wasn't asleep. And if he was, she knew it wasn't deep.

Everything felt wrong. Without Hayley, things felt chaotic, but not at the same time. They felt off kilter. Without Hayley, it was as though K, Klaus and every one of their brood was… well, the only thing she could think to compare it to a pack of dogs. K felt like she and Klaus were the dogs and they could sense a distant, violent storm coming. The air was electric and disjointed, it was alive with something bad. Hayley –as she knew everyone would agree- was a very levelheaded young woman. She made them all a bit calmer because she wasn't tainted like the rest of them.

So, here she was, standing on the edge of a storm while Hayley was gone. K didn't blame her, obviously, but without a face to put to the shadowy figure who took her, K could do little more than grow even more frustrated.

She continued to crack her knuckles periodically. The subdued pop was barely noticeable, but it kept her busy.

"Enough, darling." Klaus sighed.

She glanced to him as he rolled onto his back. Klaus adjusted himself, pushing his pillow up beneath his back so he could sit a little straighter than before.

"Should I bother asking?"

"You already know." She replied, letting her eyes drift back toward the fireplace across the wall.

He adjusted a bit more. A moment later, she felt him reach for her hand and let him take it. Neither of them spoke again. What was coming was going to be trying. It wouldn't be difficult, necessarily, but trying nonetheless. They were going to be the worst versions of themselves and the trouble came only because it was so easy.

"Sleep, sweetheart." He told her. "We'll take care of this in the morning."

She only nodded and together, they did their best to sleep.

~!~

The following morning, Klaus and K readied themselves for their visitor. After ensuring the boys were well supervised, they proceeded to the basement hollows.

"Do you truly think a human sitter is wise?" He asked with his typical derision. She knew it wasn't aimed towards her. Instead, he was annoyed at the "human" aspect. "There are any number of people more suited to protect the boys."

"Right," she said sarcastically, "Perhaps the witches? I'm certain they would love to watch Niklaus Mikaelson's tribrid sons. Or maybe the wolves, or the vampires? Perhaps they'll overlook what you've done in the last couple days and –out of the goodness of their hearts- babysit?" she gave him a look, a stern, sarcastic glance he glared at. "Humans are the only controllable faction you haven't yet alienated. With Freya and Hayley out of town, my options are limited."

He tightened his jaw and chewed on the inside of his cheek, but said nothing. K knew he understood, albeit reluctantly.

Without another word, they made their way into the depths of the tunnels. Not long after, they came across the vampire who was apparently behind Hayley's abduction.

Producing a blade from his pocket, Klaus twirled it gracefully within his fingers before offering it to K.

"You take a wrist, and I'll take the other." He said as she took the blade. "She's likely taken vervain, so we'll have to drain every iota of it from her veins."

"Gladly." K replied with a tight jaw.

With her blade, she didn't hesitate to stab it into the woman's wrist, but instead of a small cut, she sliced deeply up the length of her forearm. A dark chuckle emanated from behind as blood poured from the temporary wound. Taking the knife back, Klaus repeated the angry injury on their captive's unmarred arm.

And so it went.

Eventually, Greta woke from the sleep her broken neck had forced upon her. While she and Klaus spoke, K lingered in the background. She sat on one of the ledges watching Klaus pace back and forth, lording his superiority over Greta, while the latter spouted her hatred. K wanted nothing more than to act.

She rolled a stone around in her fingers, squeezing the tips periodically and cracking the old piece of rock. She was forming it, turning it into something to use.

"You're daughter," Greta said, "Is dangerous. A menace. A threat."

"My daughter is a child." Klaus growled.

"A child born of werewolf blood, who can create hybrids at will." Greta said. "Her defect must be corrected."

"Her defect!-" Klaus didn't get a chance to finish his statement before something whizzed past him. It sailed through the air and through the center of Greta's chest perhaps an inch from her heart. She lurched and gasped at the sudden shot, but no gun rang out.

Attention slowly shifted to K while a spot of blood began to grow on Greta's shirt. K's eyes were focused intently on the woman across from her.

"That was a warning." She said before pinching another chunk of stone off the ledge she sat atop.

A small, almost unnoticeable smile twitched at the corner of his lips before his attention shifted back to Greta.

"As I was saying," he began in a much calmed voice. "Her defect, is my defect. Say it again, and I'll pluck out your eyeballs and eat them like olive's from my fingertips."

"I'll call it what it is." She continued defiantly. "A dirtying of the blood, tainting the purity of my superior vampire blood."

Without warning, something else shot across the room, but it wasn't another piece of stone. This time, it was a body. It was K.

She stood over Greta, grasping the woman's head firmly in a single hand. Greta stared up at K through her eyelashes. She tried to remain calm and in control, but it wouldn't work with K, and to let her know, K tightened her grip.

Greta bit down a groan as the pressure increased at a gradual pace. The five points of her fingertips began to compress Greta's skull, began to gently crack it beneath the flesh. But still, the vampire tried to remain stoic.

In less than a minute, however, her brows furrowed and her expression began to change. As K increased the pressure, Greta began to break along with her head.

"Speak like that about my daughter again," K said with an air of undeniable rage. "And I will gladly shatter your skull, sink my fingers deep into your grey-matter, and rip out your memories. Do you understand me?"

Greta remained silent, but when K clenched her hand a bit tighter than before, the vampire let out a cry of pain.

"Do. You. Understand. Me?" K repeated pointedly.

"Yes!" Greta yelled.

K released her instantly and Greta whimpered in response, breathing heavily as she healed.

"Now, what is your point, woman?" Klaus asked angrily, though beaming with a hint of pride toward his wife.

"Your daughter," Greta breathed, "Will purify herself. She will endure the same spell that rendered your wolf side useless." She looked up at them with a trail of blood trickle down the center of her forehead from where K's thumb had pushed into her skull. "It will ensure she can't produce anymore abominations, like yourselves."

"Never," Klaus spat hatefully.

And while he fought adamantly for his daughter to remain as she is, to keep from negotiating with this particular terrorist, K thought. She wasn't as hardened as Klaus was, and whether he sensed it or not, he avoided speaking with her again. His conversation was solely on Greta.

~!~

Klaus paced while K and Marcel sat back. They were used to dealing with Klaus whenever his emotions took over.

"No child of mine is going to put themselves through this." He said. "Not to satisfy someone's detestable vision of the future."

"Nik," K said calmly. "You have to give her a chance to-"

"To what?" he demanded. "To deny part of her heritage?" he started to walk towards her with intent. "What if someone demanded our sons go through the same ridiculous ceremony, hm? What then? Would you ask that they do this as well?"

"Yes," she told him as though it should have been obvious. Klaus jolted, as though she'd physically struck him with her remark. "Because it would be their choice. It is their body, they can chose for themselves if they want to go through such a thing."

"No," he pointed sternly at her. "You're wrong. _This_ is wrong, and Hope will have no part in it."

"Look," Marcel said, "I'm on your side. You know this, but if Hayley dies and Hope isn't given a chance to help, she'll never forgive herself."

"I will not impose the same torture-"

"You're not imposing anything, Nik." K snapped. "You ask. You ask Hope what she wants to do."

"What do you think she'd say, hm?" he asked angrily. "Of course she'd go through with it."

"It is her choice, then."

He stood in front of her, rigid and tight as he glared at K. "No," His eyes danced between the two. "Perhaps I should have another talk with our little friend."

And with that, he walked away. When he was gone, K turned her attention to Marcel. She was sure Klaus was out of earshot before she spoke.

"Call Hope."

Marcel's brows narrowed. He eyed her skeptically, pushing himself off the table he was leaning against to stand better in front of her.

"What?"

"Call Hope," she repeated. "Tell her Greta's demands."

"And if I do?" he asked. "Look, I can handle myself against Klaus' temper pretty well on my own, but you know he's going to blow up if he finds out."

"I'm aware, but you and I seem to notice something he doesn't."

"Which is?"

"Greta's demands have nothing to do with him." K said. "I agree with you, she needs to at least be told."

"And you're fine with what he'll do when he finds out?"

She nodded.

"Okay," Marcel sighed. "I'll call Hope."

~!~

Klaus emerged in glorious fashion as he usually did –this time hauling the two bodies of the Crescent wolf pack. K arched a brow while Marcel sighed to himself.

"Niklaus Mikaelson has been quite the busy boy today." Marcel said sarcastically. "First, you're up to Mystic Falls and now, you're kidnapping wolves from the bayou."

"Nik, knock it off." K sighed a bit annoyed.

"Greta wants a pack of impure mongrels roaming about, I'll give her one." He growled. "with a pint of Hope's blood, I intend to give that witch exactly her greatest horror. But first," he turned his attention to the pair behind him and let his eyes dance over the two. "Which of you went behind my back?"

K didn't even give Marcel the chance to speak, "I did."

Klaus' eye found laser focus on her within an instant. But as he looked her over, he knew something didn't seem right. After a moment of his silent contemplation, his gaze drifted to Marcel.

"No," he cooed coldly. "It was you, wasn't it?"

"Yes," he said calmly.

"How dare you betray me." Klaus' voice slowly turned stern again. "And you, my own wife, plotting with him."

"Plotting?" K said. "You're joking."

"What else would you call going behind my back and-"

"And what?" she countered. "And telling Hope about what's happening around her? About letting her have a choice?"

"Enough!" he yelled. "I'll not have my daughter go through the same torment I did. So now, if you'll excuse me."

K bit her cheek and tried to keep her exterior calm, while inside she was fuming. Stiffly, she approached Klaus and made sure she had his eye before speaking.

"Each time you think you're helping, what you're actually doing is destroying any chance of making the situation better. You think this," she pointed at the wolves on the ground, "is going to help _anything_?" her voice dipped. "You've never been able to seen a foot in front of your nose and then have the audacity to blame the circumstances on others when they've always been _your_ fault, and yours alone."

And with that, she ascended the stairs, intent on checking on her sons before going to bed.


	7. Chapter 7

**AN:** Kinda short, but I hope you like it. I think Fridays will be my official upload day. I keep forgetting Wednesday, lol. Side effect of no longer paying for cable. Anyway, let me know what you think and enjoy!

 **Chapter Seven**

The following morning, when the farmer's markets and vendors were still on the streets, K took her sons for a walk. Klaus was still angry, still pacing through the house doing whatever it was he tended to do when he was frustrated. She wanted to avoid him for now. He was too short-sighted and short-tempered.

K kept her eyes peeled for Vincent and eventually found him sitting in a bench off to the side. Holding her sons hands in hers, K approached him at a wide birth. She wanted Vincent to be able to see them coming from a mile off, so to speak. She didn't want to frighten him. God only knew how anxious he already was given everything that was happening in the city.

When they were roughly ten yards from him, Vincent finally seemed to notice the trio. K could only imagine the sort of magic he felt coming off them. Between her sons' abilities and The Hollow still inside her, she knew they had to ring out to him like a church bell in a silent room. They had to be swimming in magic.

As she drew nearer, she noticed his eyes dart to the two identical boys at her sides. His brows came together and he shifted a bit in his seat. K didn't like it. She didn't know why he was so nervous, and that bothered her greatly.

"Vincent," she greeted when they reached him. "This is Matthew," she lightly jostled the hand of the boy on her right. "And Alexander." She did the same for the boy on her left. "My sons."

"Hi," he answered unsurely.

"Boys, this is Vincent. He's a friend of your Aunt Freya's."

"Hi," they greeted in unison.

"May we sit, Vincent?"

"Huh?" he tore his eyes away from the boys and met her gaze. "Yeah, sure. Let's go somewhere out of the way."

He stood and guided them away from the central hub of people where they found a small table and some chairs. It'd been set up for passersby to simply rest for a moment, so he knew no vendor would be angry for them taking the spot.

"So, uh… what'd you need?" he asked. K wasn't surprised that Vincent was uncomfortable around her, or the boys. Mikaelson blood, shaky truces, and how she left their last meeting meant it would always be strained.

"I need you to do something for me."

"Okay,"

"Can you search the boys? Check them for The Hollow, I mean."

His brow furrowed again. Vincent glanced to the two children staring back at him blankly. It was a little unsettling because he could feel the power coming from them, not to mention they had the same face. The only difference was Matthew had a little beauty mark below his left eye. Other than that, they were the spitting image of the other. Even more unnerving, they looked more like Klaus than Hope did when she was that age, and the hybrid had helped raise them, too.

"Why?" he asked.

"Because I want them to be safe." She said. "I want to know if they can be near Hope."

"We're gonna go to school with her." Alexander said in his light, childish voice.

"But mommy's scared." Matthew added.

Vincent's brows rose. K understood the sentiment. For those who hadn't been around the boys, it was a little strange to hear them speak in unison, or as grown up as they tended to.

"Yeah, sure. Let me see what I can do."

K felt a weight lifted from her shoulders. She prayed Vincent would help her discover if the boys were actually safe or not because they were children. Not to mention, she assumed he'd want to know if the Hollow had somehow infected someone else.

~!~

When K arrived home, happy and content for the first time in ages, she was surprised to find Caroline within the courtyard talking to Klaus.

"Darling," Klaus said when he saw her. "We have company."

"Clearly," she nodded. "Caroline, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, hi." Caroline shifted on her feet a bit. She wasn't sure how to handle K. The two had hardly spoken ten words to one another over the last decade. All she knew was K was as dangerous as Klaus and apparently his wife. The massive ring on her finger simply confirmed it. "And who are these little guys?" her voice took on an immediately sweet tone when she saw the boys.

"These are our sons," Klaus declared with pride. "Matthew and Alexander Mikaelson."

"Oh," Caroline did her best to hide her surprise. She looked down at the little boys and squatted in front of them with a smile. "You're Hope's brothers."

"You know Hope?" Alexander asked quietly.

"I do." Caroline smiled. "I'm her teacher. Maybe one day, I'll be your teacher, too?"

"You will." K said. Klaus eyed her curiously. "Soon, hopefully."

"You sound certain." He said with an edge.

"Boys," K dipped down and knelt before them. "Can you both go and play in the library while the grownups talk for a bit?"

They nodded their agreement and soon scampered away into the back of the manor, out of earshot for the coming conversation.

"That's why I went to see Vincent today." K said, noticing Klaus' face harden when she had.

"That pompous witch? What'd he have to say, hm?"

"That our sons are safe."

Klaus eyed her in confusion. "What on earth are you talking about?"

"I had to be sure, Nik. I had to be sure that this _thing_ inside me didn't leach into them while I was pregnant."

His face fell. It seemed like the first time Klaus realized that had been a possibility. Given there were no side effects through the years, he thought that naturally, the boys weren't affected, but K was never so certain. She reasoned that there wouldn't be side effects because if they did absorb some of the Hollow, it was just some of what she already had. She was afraid they'd lightened her burden, so to speak. If that were true, she'd have to stay far away from their family, too, and the only place that could help them learn to control their magic.

"And?" he asked.

"They're fine." K smiled. He breathed easier. "When they're old enough, if Caroline's willing to take on more Mikaelsons," Caroline smiled heavily and a bit playfully, "Then there's no reason they can't attend the same school as Hope. They can be around their sister with no worries of a backlash."

"Well," Klaus sighed in relief. "Perhaps that is some good news for the day."

K eyed him. "What's happened?"

He said nothing, but motioned to Caroline. The blonde took a deep breath and let it out before relaying the same information she'd given Klaus only moments prior.

"But, like I told Klaus," she said. "We've narrowed down her location."

"How could you have let her escape?"

"It's not a prison." Caroline said as though she'd had to repeat the statement with Klaus more than once. "Besides, Roman's a good kid, okay? They're… just being teenagers."

"Just teenagers." K repeated sarcastically.

"My sentiments exactly." Klaus replied. "Which is why Caroline and I are on our way to fetch them."

"Fine," K nodded, but she didn't seem happy. "Do you know how long you'll be?"

"Hopefully only a few hours."

She nodded once more. "Go say goodbye to the boys before you leave."

He smiled crookedly at her before disappearing to tell his sons he'd be back later, leaving her and Caroline alone for a moment.

"So," Caroline said, trying to cover her discomfort, but not doing a great job at it. "You and Klaus, huh?"

"I suppose." K wasn't entirely certain how to answer such an odd question.

Thankfully, the man in question reappeared shortly after.

"We'll be back shortly, darling."

"Be safe." K didn't know why she felt compelled to say something so mundane, but the words left her regardless.

"I will," he chuckled slightly.

Klaus gave her a kiss and departed with Caroline promptly. K wished she could go, but she couldn't be near Hope for obvious reasons. Still, something told her this wasn't going to be a good trip. There was a pit in her stomach that she couldn't identify and it bothered her greatly.

~!~

Later that Night:

While the boys slept, K continued to pace uncertainly in the courtyard. No one would answer their phones, at least not those who might know what was happening. It'd been hours since Caroline and Klaus left for wherever they planned to go, and neither had tried to contact K. Every time she called Klaus, it went to voicemail. Her imagination was running wild and the pit that had formed in her stomach earlier in the day hadn't settled. If anything, the lack of communication made it a great deal worse.

As she continued to walk a trench into the stone, she heard a noise behind her. A door opened and barely closed. K spun to see the source. It was Klaus.

"Where have you been?" she demanded to know as she charged towards him. "I've been calling you for hours, why haven't you-"

When he looked up, she was immediately silenced. His eyes were red-rimmed and glassy, his cheeks damp with tears. Something terrible had happened.

"Hope?" K could barely get her name out for fear of what the answer may be.

"On her way back to Mystic Falls, with Freya." Klaus said in a shaking voice.

K's brows came together and her stomach clenched. "Then why…"

Klaus blinked and a fresh wave of tears slide down his cheeks. He said one single word, and in it, K had all the terrifying answers.

"Hayley," he muttered softly.

K's breath was stolen from her. She knew. Somehow, she knew without a doubt that Hayley was dead. There would be no other reason for Klaus to look the way he did if that weren't the reason.

"How?" she choked on the word.

"She burned."

K let out a gasp as though she'd been punched in the stomach. She reached for Klaus and wrapped her arms around him, holding him tighter than she thought possible. Tears welled in her eyes and she began to cry.

Klaus clung to her. He clenched his fists, gripping her shirt tightly and ensuring she wouldn't leave him as he buried his face in her hair.

"I couldn't save her." He whispered in a tear-drenched voice. "I couldn't save her."

K hugged him tighter, squeezing him so hard he might shatter, and he did the same, but neither spoke a word of discomfort. In fact, they welcomed the pain of their bones splintering. It seemed easier to deal with than the ache they both now felt.

Hayley wasn't supposed to die. She was supposed to be found, be saved at the last moment. She was supposed to return to New Orleans and to the life she had when the Mikaelsons were gone. She was supposed to be immune to the shit they brought down on the family. She was supposed to stay alive and untainted by their lives, for Hope.

"What are we supposed to do now?" Klaus asked.

K shook her head. "I don't know."

"And he watched." Klaus randomly said a moment later. K drew back and eyed him. It was as though he was having a conversation she hadn't been a part of. "He watched the whole thing."

"Who?"

Despite the tears and pain, despite the anguish he felt, Klaus glowered hatefully and said through a tight jaw, "Elijah."

K flinched. "What are you talking about?"

"Greta, and her little brat took Hope, took Hayley…" Klaus stepped out of her hold completely and began to pace as he did when he was agitated, but the tears still fell. "And Elijah helped them. He stood there, ran a stake through my heart and helped that psychopath."

"I'm sure he didn't-"

"He did!" Klaus bellowed. He was trembling as he stared at her. "He watched as Hayley burned." He took in a short, shaking breath. "And felt nothing."

K's heart broke. God only knew how horrible it was for that to be the last thing Hayley saw. To see the man you love watch on as you died without a hint of emotion, without recognition… It must have been awful.

"I don't know what to do, Kali." Klaus said, bringing her out of her thoughts. He looked broken. "What am I supposed to do now?"

"I…" K hesitated. While she generally had something to give, some knowledge or suggestion, she had nothing now. Her mind was a torrent and it couldn't clear. "I don't know."

How could Hayley be dead?


	8. Chapter 8

**AN:** Wow, I suck. I thought I uploaded before I left town, but noooope. I'm so sorry guys. Hopefully, this'll make up for it. It's suuper long. So, let me know what you think and enjoy!

 **Chapter Eight**

K sat in the other room, away from everyone. She'd only just said goodbye to the boys and it was little more than another in a long line of heartache. The choice was both one of the easiest and most painful she'd ever had to deal with. It reminded her of every time she had to say goodbye to Hope in the past. There's just something about sending your child away that rips your heart out.

But New Orleans was no longer safe.

With the factions fighting, Hayley dead, and Pure Blood psychos hiding in the shadows, Matthew and Alexander couldn't remain anymore. They had to be far from the city where their mixed blood was a death sentence. K assumed the only reason they hadn't been targeted yet was because no one knew of them. But that could always change.

Freya –sweet Freya- took the boys with her when she drove Hope back to Mystic Falls. Caroline knew they were coming, too. She welcomed them with open arms and promised to look after them just as she had Hope for the last few years.

Even though she and Caroline had never been anything close to friends, K knew she could trust her sons with the blonde. After all, Hope was well cared for, already.

The boys were excited, too. That helped her with their leaving, but only just. Still, the thought of actually learning spells and going to the same school as their sister made them both very excited. K hoped the adjusted well. She planned to keep tabs on them frequently. After all, this was their first time away from home and attending school.

But now, the house had fallen silent. There were no children, there was no music, talking, laughing –nothing. There was nothing anymore.

In the silence, K sat in darkness, staring out at nothing as she thought about Hayley. It didn't seem right, or real. Why Hayley? Why did it have to be her?

The weight of her memories began to pull at her shoulders. Five years they were together. Five years their relationship grew to something more than friends. They were family –real and completely. For five years, it was only Hayley, Hope and K. Now, it wasn't even half that. They were all gone, blown to different parts of the world and unable to ever reunite, unable to ever be that little family again.

Tears flooded her eyes and fell down her cheeks with ease. K brought her knees to her chest and cried. She mourned her friend. The sadness K felt was deep and profound, reaching the very marrow in her bones. The last time she felt a death so completely was when Emily died.

It wasn't just Hayley's death that made her so sad. It was what it implied. Hope lost her mother, the boys would never get to truly get to know the wonderful woman Hayley had become. Hayley would never get to see any of the kids grow up or old. The wolves lost their alpha, the witches a friend, the Mikaelsons a sister. And if Elijah had his memories, he would have lost so much more. Perhaps it's best he never remember.

As she cried, K felt something wrap around her and hold her close. She clung to it, gripped it tight and refused to let go. It helped steady her, if only for a moment.

Klaus heard her muffled sobs from his room on the other side of the house. He hadn't been able to sleep and didn't have the heart to seek K out. He thought she likely went to be alone –and he was right- but he couldn't take the sound of her crying for as long as she had been. He had to do something to comfort her, even if he wasn't exactly good at that sort of thing.

He was surprised by the way she held him, but put up no resistance. If she needed to squeeze him so tightly his bones would splinter, he'd let her.

No words passed between them as they both wept for not only the life lost, but those the loss would affect.

Hayley deserved so much better than the Mikaelsons.

~!~

It was the morning of the funeral and K was doing her best to find something to wear. She already knew she'd just wear a black dress, but stressing over something so small helped distract her from the truth.

While she stood in front of the mirror holding one garment after another in front of her body, Klaus entered the room. He was on the phone and K could hear that the other voice on the line was Freya's.

"Are you certain this astral projection will work?" he asked as he looked at K through the reflected glass.

" _It'll be fine, Klaus."_

"This isn't right." He said as their eyes met through the mirror. "Kali is the only mother she has left. She deserves to be there with Hope, holding her hand."

" _You know she can't."_ Freya said heavily. K's expression fell just a bit. Even though she knew as much, hearing it –for some reason- still hurt greatly. " _This is how it has to be."_

Klaus' jaw clenched. "This is utterly ridiculous. To hell with the curse. She should be-"

Something behind them caught both their attention. A plant –once healthy and green- began to wither and die. Their collective brows pulled together as they watched it die.

" _What?"_

Klaus sighed his annoyance. "If this plant gasping for life is any indication of what's happening around us, there's another Mikaelson in the city."

" _How's that possible? Kol and Rebekah know to stay away and Hope is with me, so…"_ her voice fell as a single name entered their minds.

"Elijah," Klaus growled. "I have to go and find him before the skies burn."

Without a farewell, he hung up his phone and glanced to K.

"Go," she said. "I'll meet Ivy in the bayou. I know where."

"You're certain?"

She forced a smile she hoped was believable. "Of course."

Klaus didn't bother faking one of his own. Instead, he just stepped forward, kissed her softly and disappeared in search of his brother.

With him gone, K turned her attention back to the mirror. It had been days, and still her mind and body were disconnected. She just wasn't absorbing anything around her anymore.

~!~

"Let him suffer!" Klaus bellowed angrily at Marcel as K descended the stairs. "You didn't see her face, Marcel. She was pleading with him to save her, and he didn't." his voice was low and threatening. "Now, if you'll excuse me, my daughter is about to land and I have to be there to pick her up."

Marcel opened his mouth, but nothing passed his lips. Before he could speak, he noticed K. Klaus turned and spotted her as well wearing a simple black dress for the occasion.

"Sweetheart," he said, offering his hand to take hers. She gently grasped it. "I need to go."

"I know," she nodded.

Klaus hugged her, kissed her softly and left to retrieve Hope and Freya. K lingered for a moment and looked at Marcel.

When their eyes met, the King could tell something was wrong. K was blank, emotionless, and… cold. She didn't look herself. In fact, she looked as though she were hollow, as though something else was walking around in her skin. It sent an unnerving chill up his back.

Without a word, she left the mansion, too.

~!~

Ivy was a beautiful young woman, one of those exotic women who have a special quality that somehow draws everyone she meets closer. If K were in a better mood, she might have said something about it. As it was, she said nothing as she met the witch at the front of her car.

Ivy looked over K. The two had never met, but the woman's name was mentioned periodically by the other Mikaelsons. Ivy knew only a little about her, but was aware she was at least considered part of the family.

"Will this work?" K asked plainly.

"Yes," Ivy was a bit cold, but K expected nothing else. "Give me your hands."

She complied. Ivy took hold of them and began to chant. For a moment, K was standing in the bayou. In another, she was suddenly surrounded by people.

The joyful sight of the strangers made her stomach turn, but K had no desire to give them a second's thought. Instead, she quickly looked around for Hope, Freya or Klaus, and quickly spotted them in the distance. Without hesitation, she raced after the trio.

Hope didn't like all of the people. Most of those who'd arrived were tourists standing on the sidelines drinking. Those were perhaps the ones who angered her the most.

"This isn't right," she muttered to herself. "I don't like this."

"I know, sweetheart." Klaus replied in a tone to match her discomfort. He didn't like them, either.

As they walked, through the discomfort of the people around them, Hope felt something tickle at the back of her neck. Her face scrunched and her steps paused. Something was trying to get her attention, gnawing at the back of her mind.

Turning, she spotted K coming towards her. A breath left her, deep and fast as though someone had punched her in the gut. Hope couldn't say how relieved she was to see K for the first time in years and raced for her immediately.

A wide smile crossed K's lips and she held open her arms, ready to embrace the little girl she hadn't seen in so long. She wanted nothing more than to hug her, to feel the warmth of her again, to smell her hair even, but it wasn't meant to happen.

When Hope reached her, she tried to hug her remaining mother, but felt an undeniable chill. It washed through her so completely that goose bumps formed despite the high sun and warm air. Hope stood back and the look that crossed her face was utterly heartbreaking.

"You're not really here." She mumbled, despite already knowing the fact.

"No, sweetheart." K replied. She felt a lump forming in her throat. She wanted to reach out and touch her. "Not really, at least."

Hope's big blue eyes met K's. They were glistening with tears. "I miss you." Her voice hitched. "I want you to come home."

K struggled to keep the pain from her face. She wanted the same.

K reached forward and tenderly ran the back of her hand along Hope's cheek. She couldn't feel her. She couldn't feel Hope at all and it hurt.

"I want that, too." She said. "In the meantime,"

K wanted to take Hope's hand, but didn't. There wasn't anything to actually grab, so she didn't try. Instead, she motioned for Hope to walk along, and they did. Together, she and Hope joined Klaus and Freya.

"Kali," Freya greeted as kindly as she could.

She offered the witch a small nod.

The procession began again. The group of "mourners" made it only a few yards, however, before black vans sped into view, blocking off the street and clearly meaning trouble.

Suddenly, K was ripped from the projection. Her spirit was shoved back into her corporeal body at a jarring rate, but it barely slowed her down.

"What happened?" Ivy demanded.

"Hope's in trouble. I have to go."

K made it two steps before her knees buckled and her body went immobile. She cried out as pain racked her body. She whipped around and saw Ivy holding her steady.

"Let. Me. Go." She growled through a tight jaw.

"No. You can't go."

"She's in trouble!" K screamed. "I have to be there."

"No!"

"I don't give a _shit_ about these plagues." She said hatefully. K struggled against her bonds. She wanted free and in order to do it, she'd honestly kill Ivy. "You will not keep me here."

"I have to." Ivy's face took on a pleading expression. "You don't understand how dangerous this curse really is."

"I don't care!"

"Hope will die!" she suddenly yelled. K immediately stopped fighting the spell holding her.

"What?" her voice was little above a whisper, too shocked by the random statement to manage much else.

"Hope will die." Ivy repeated, much calmer than before. "That's the final stage of the curse. After the rivers turn to fire and monsoons from the sea, the first born child –every first born- will die."

The words hit her hard. Hope would die. Freya would die. And those were only the people she knew of. There were still so many questions that needed answers.

Was K a first born? She didn't know. Matthew and Alexander were her first born children, but not Klaus'. Did that mean they'd die, or be saved? Would both of them die because they were twins, or would it only be the one who breathed air first?

Too many things rushed through her mind, too many ideas, scenarios, and fears.

"Send me back." Was all she could say as she offered Ivy her hands. "Send me back to Hope."

Ivy did as she asked immediately.

Instead of being sent back to the Quarter, K arrived in Hope's bedroom at the manor. The young girl saw her and scowled.

"Go away." She said.

K was surprised by the coldness, but not deterred. "Hope, talk to me."

"I said leave. You're not even really here, anyway."

"I would be if I could, but you don't know how dangerous it is."

"I don't care."

"You could die, Hope." K said sternly, hoping to make it through the girl's thick skull.

"Then let me die!"

K jolted. She was shocked by the sudden outburst and it was only then she noticed it. Hope was distraught. She was more out of sorts than when K had left, and it seemed far worse now.

"Hope," K muttered sadly.

"I don't care." Hope's voice began to tremble. "I can't do this anymore. I…" tears welled in her eyes as she ran her fingers through her hair in frustration. "Mom is dead, dad is gone half the time and the only mom I have left can't even be within a hundred miles of me. I-" she clenched her eyes shut and the tears escaped as a result. K felt horrible. She wanted to hold Hope, to comfort her like she used to. "It isn't fair." She began to cry.

"I know, sweetie."

"No you don't." Hope snapped. "We're broken, this whole family, and I'm tired of it."

K took a step forward and started to reach for her daughter, but Hope stepped back.

"You should go."

"Hope," K breathed.

"Just go."

K was suddenly ripped from the room and shoved back into the bayou once again.

Ivy took a step back and looked over the young woman with sadness and sympathy.

"Are you alright?" she asked in all sincerity.

K looked at her with tears in her eyes. "No," she said honestly.

~!~

Her angry screams drew his attention. Klaus followed them through the trees and deeper into the bayou. He'd gone there to see everything was being taken care of for Hayley's second funeral. Clearly, she hadn't left.

When he reached a clearing, he found K. She was fighting the forest itself, throwing her fist into the trees, into boulders and anything she could. She was fighting the world because he assumed that –like him- she felt powerless to do anything.

And she did. Hope's words still stung and K had rage to let out, sadness, hurt and hatred, but it had nowhere to go. The best she could do was fight Mother Nature herself.

"Kali," Klaus finally said after a few lengthy minutes of one-sided violence.

She stopped and turned to see him standing just out of her path of destruction. He could see her cheeks damp and dirty from where dust clung to her tears, but that wasn't what held his attention. What fixated him so completely was the look in her eyes. He'd seen it before a thousand times when he looked at himself. The darkness was returning to her. She wanted blood. She wanted lives to repay the one that was taken. She wanted revenge.

"Hope is-" was all he managed to get out before K vanished.

Klaus' heart sank. He hadn't wanted to tell her Hope was on her way to the bayou, to tell her she had to leave, but she knew already. Still, what could he do? This was the way their life was now. No matter how badly Hope wanted or needed her family, they had to stay away.

~!~

Hope stood beside Klaus on the dock overlooking the river. Hayley's "body" drifted into the distance. The fire was like a beacon, unavoidable and unmistakable.

The air around them suddenly shifted and the sound of shoes against the dock's wooden planks met their ears. The pair turned to find K the source.

"What are you doing here?" Klaus asked with an edge. While he was glad to see her, he knew the prophecy. He knew how the curse ended.

But K didn't speak. Instead, she wrapped her arms around Hope and hugged her tightly, slamming her eyes shut as she held the little girl. Hope returned the sentiment, squeezing K as hard as she could without fear of hurting her.

She cradled the back of Hope's head and gently held her. "I love you." She whispered softly, stroking the back of Hope's head lovingly. "And I'm so sorry you have to go through this, but you're not alone. Not really."

K slowly pulled back and looked down into Hope's eyes. She cradled the young woman's face and smiled heavily.

"You're so grown up now." She let out a weak, breathy laugh which Hope mimicked. A flash of lightning and a roll of thunder went unnoticed by the two, but their audience began to shift. "And so beautiful. You look just like her."

Hope forced a sad smile. "I'm sorry about earlier."

"Shh, don't be." K tenderly threaded some of Hope's hair around her fingers and guided it behind her ear. "We may not share blood, but you've always been my little girl, okay?" Hope nodded. "And even though we only got to spend a few short years together…" tears began to trickle down K's cheeks, "I want you to know that they mean the world to me."

Hope began to cry again. She pulled K close and clung for dear life. K closed her eyes, unwilling to look at the rest of the world around them. She just wanted to live in the moment for as long as she could.

"This is the last time I can see you." She said softly. "But I'll always be there if you need me, alright?"

"I know." Hope mumbled into K's shoulder.

Another bolt of lightning split the sky and struck the water. Klaus saw the fire from Hayley's pyre begin to spread. He wanted to let them remain as they were, but couldn't.

"The river is burning." He said despondently.

Reluctantly, they drew back once again and sure enough, a raging fire moved towards them. K's heart broke further if it were possible. Her brows pulled together as she looked again the Hope.

"I love you, carissime." She said, tenderly wiping the tears from Hope's cheeks. Leaning forward, she gently kissed the young woman's forehead. "Goodbye."

As suddenly as she'd arrived, K was gone. Hope began to cry again, but this time Klaus stepped in. He held his daughter tight, feeling her agony wash into him. Both her mothers were gone as far as she was concerned, both women who raised her while he was gone.

K didn't slow until she was near her car. Her body ached. She felt horrible and wanted nothing more than to return. Thankfully, she had the strength not to.

Reaching into her pocket for the keys, K's head was suddenly wrenched to the side. The world around her went black and she collapsed to the ground, dead and unmoving.


	9. Chapter 9

**AN:** Hey guys! I hope you enjoy. And for anyone wondering, I totally plan for some good, ol' fashioned violence to happen very soon (hopefully the next chapter). This is a ridiculously somber kind of season, isn't it? Nowhere near as much killing as usual, lol. Anyway, here's this chapter and I hope you like it. Let me know, and -as usual- Enjoy!

 **Chapter Nine**

K landed hard, hard enough her body shook on the inside, and with a deep groan, she pushed herself up.

Her eyes found focus easily on her surroundings and it didn't take a genius to realize she was back at the manor. While she'd planned to head home, she clearly hadn't chosen the ability. Someone chose for her.

But, she wasn't alone. There were voices in the background, and they were familiar. Dusting herself off, she made her way towards them to find out who else had been brought to the building.

"What is this?" Elijah said as K rounded the corner. She appeared behind them, all five siblings, standing in front of a great white door with gilded locks that shouldn't exist.

"It's representational magic." Kol replied as he touched one of the objects. "I'd imagine there's keys hidden somewhere for all of us."

"All of you," K said, causing them all to jump and face her. "You mean." Confusion drifted through their faces when they saw the young woman approach. "Odd family reunion considering I'm only a Mikaelson by marriage."

"But," Freya began. Something was clearly donning on her. "You're the other part of the Hollow."

"But you're not." Kol said. "And neither is Nik."

"No," Rebekah sighed. "But the two of them would do something to stop whatever's happening in the real world."

K agreed internally. That was a fair thing to say.

"Well," she chimed. "At least there are only five locks instead of six. It seems as though someone wants to make the five of you do a bit of soul searching in the meantime."

"Wonderful," Klaus growled under his breath. "So there are nearly a half dozen keys hidden somewhere in this bloody house."

"Looks that way." Kol agreed. "Chances are, the keys are hidden somewhere important, somewhere meaningful to who we are."

"And for those of us who don't remember who we are?" Elijah asked.

"I'll send Antoinette your regards." Klaus grinned.

Elijah stepped towards his brother, clearly angry for the remark, but he was held at bay by Freya's hand. K simply rolled her eyes at Klaus.

"There are five locks." Freya said. "None of us are getting out of here without the others' help."

"Elijah," Kol said, drawing his brother's eye. "To avoid bloodshed, I suggest you go to the corner of the house furthest from Nik."

"And Nik, darling," K added. "I suggest you stop being such an asshole."

He widened his eyes and shrugged in mock innocence. He looked adorable doing it, honestly, but K was far from fooled. No one was, in fact.

Kol motioned for Elijah to follow him away, and he did leaving Klaus surrounded by his sisters and wife.

"Split up. We need to get the hell out of here." He told them before leaving as well.

With him gone, Rebekah turned to K. They both smiled at one another and embraced tightly.

"It's good to see you again, Kali." She said, holding K warmly.

"You too, Rebekah."

When they parted, Freya suggested they all take a room. The pair agreed and along with the witch, left the courtyard downstairs.

* * *

Marcel joined the party not long after everyone was together. Evidently, Hope had taken it upon herself to put the entire thing into play. Worse yet, Freya was helping her.

K couldn't put into words how angry she was that all of them were together again and that Hope planned to take the Hollow's power into herself, but what could she do? What could any of them do? Nothing. So long as they were stuck where they were, no one could do anything. They had to find the keys as quickly as possible.

K was in Klaus' room going through everything trying to find his key. Since she didn't have a lock, she knew his key was a good place to start.

Thankfully, she wasn't worried about hurting any of his possessions. Since the world wasn't real, she could tear through his paintings, punch holes in the walls, and overturn furniture. She could take out the anger that was forming inside her. She could hurt things.

Within seconds, her search seemed to be over and K was simply taking her rage out on her surroundings. She found a bit of re-bricked wall and slammed her fists into it as hard as she could, screaming with each punch.

The brick crumbled around her hands. Her knuckles broke, her skin split, but it healed quickly afterward which let her continue her assault. For minutes, she spent her time reducing the wall to rubble as best she could, even breaching the exterior when she had.

After a few minutes, however, K let her arms fall to her sides. Breathing heavily, she felt she'd gotten as much of her anger out as she could, though knew it was just beyond the horizon. K knew it would be back the moment she didn't have to worry about something else.

With a semi-relieved sigh, K moved towards the bed, snatching a piece of the sheet off to wipe her hands with.

"Well," Rebekah said with a hint of sarcasm as she surveyed the damage, "Glad to see that temper of yours in under control."

"It's fine." K mumbled. When she finished wiping the blood from her knuckles, she tossed the blanket back down. "So, did you find your-" The moment she turned around, she saw Rebekah holding up her key. "Good."

"Nik's found his, so has Kol." Rebekah said as she palmed the object. "They're searching for Elijah's now."

"That'll be interesting." K sighed. She walked closer to Rebekah.

"I've come to help see if you can find anything in here." She said skeptically as she took in the damage surrounding them.

K motioned to the room and still a little doubtful they'd find anything, Rebekah helped her search.

For a few minutes, the two worked in silence, but something was bothering Rebekah. She'd had a question to ask for a while, and hadn't quite built up the courage to do so. But, she knew she wouldn't have a great chance to do it any other time. She had to talk to K while she had the chance.

"Kali," she finally said as she thumbed through one of Klaus' books. "May I ask you something?"

"Sure," she nodded, still absently rifling through Klaus' things.

Rebekah slowly stopped flipping pages as she thoughts about how to phrase her probing question.

"Are you happy, Kali?" She decided to be blunt.

The question caused K to stop what she was doing. She stood upright and turned to Rebekah with a questioning stare.

"What do you mean?"

"Are you happy with your life?" she asked again. "With Nik?"

K's brows rose. She was shocked by the questions, even more so that Rebekah felt the need to ask any in the first place.

"Uh," she hesitated, "Yeah, actually."

Rebekah's brows came together slightly. "Really?"

"Yeah," K said with a slight laugh. "For the most part, at least. I mean, I… I honestly couldn't see my life as anything else. Why do you ask?"

"Marcel," was all she had to say.

K nodded slowly as understanding washed over her. "What's happened?"

While the two looked for Klaus' key, Rebekah went about spilling her heart out about what had been happening between her and Marcel over the past few years. For the beginning of the story, K was glad to hear that the two of them had a wonderful life together, that they drank and laughed, traveled and simply enjoyed life. She was so happy to hear that her friend was able to be with the man she loved, and then the rest of the situation came to light. K's heart sank when Rebekah revealed that she'd left him in the lurch.

"Why?" K asked, despite likely knowing the answer.

"Because I hate what I am." Rebekah replied heavily. "I hate that I'm stuck forever as," she motioned to herself and scowled. She didn't need to finish the statement for K to know what she meant. "And," she continued, "Since you didn't choose this either, and your life's been nearly as complicated as ours, I wanted to know if you were happy."

K set down a book she'd been in the process of flipping through and turned her attention to Rebekah. She took slow, measured steps forward as she thought about what her answer would be.

"For centuries," K started, "I had no idea what my life was like before I met the Bennetts. It was this void of nothingness. I remembered being a little girl, the farm I lived on… even the village I grew up in, but there were years missing.

"Sometimes, I didn't notice the gap. Life as it was kept moving forward and I had things to keep me busy, but I always felt it, here," she pointed to the back of her head. "I always knew something wasn't right, like whatever was taken from me was important. And it wasn't that I couldn't remember how I'd turned, or where I went, it was more than that. I felt like there was something deep and profound, something vital to who I was that was just taken from me.

"It wasn't until everything came back that I realized what it was."

"You're going to say Nik, aren't you?" Rebekah asked with a mild tone of sarcasm.

K fought the smile, but nodded. Rebekah immediately rolled her eyes. "Knock it off," she laughed lightly. "It's true."

"It's nauseating."

"Look, I'd dated through the centuries, and cared for a fair few of them, deeply, but they were never "right". Do you know what I mean?" she noticed Rebekah's stance shift slightly and knew she did. "Even when my memories came back, it wasn't the events, the places, or the people that I remembered that mattered. That wasn't the blank spot in the back of my head, that thing that was missing. It was Nik. He was that thing that felt wrong, that thing I couldn't quite place and why everything else felt off."

"What does any of this have to do with Marcel?"

K's brows came together slightly. She thought it was obvious.

"Because Marcel is that for you." She said plainly. "He's that thing that's missing, that thing that you can't quit put your finger on, but you can tell when it's gone. Rebekah," K stepped closer and didn't stop until she could hold the blonde's hands in hers. "I hated what I am. I always did. The only thing that made it tolerable what Nik, and the rest of you. Even if I never had the twins, I know I could still make it through eternity so long as I had him." She said sincerely before adding with a hint of sarcasm, "The rest of you, I could probably do without." Rebekah laughed and shook her head. "Look, being a monster is bad enough, but there's no rule that says we have to do it alone. If you find something, or someone that makes it even remotely tolerable, hold onto it as tightly as you can."

After a moment or two, Rebekah gave her a nod. K returned the action, and offered a small smile. She couldn't tell if her words helped the blonde figure out what she needed to do with herself, but K hoped it did.

Eventually, they returned to searching for Klaus' key.

* * *

Secrets came to light, as they always did when the Mikaelson siblings were together. It never seemed long before they were revealing bits of themselves to each other, casting blame and arguing. K could do little more than stand back and listen.

"How could Antoinette possibly hold a candle to Hayley?!" Rebekah demanded.

"Did I love her, though? I mean, really?" Elijah shot back with, surprising all those listening. "Because to me, it seems like it was nothing more than this ridiculous vow again."

"Are you kidding me?" K couldn't keep herself quiet after that particular declaration. Elijah looked at her. "Did you love her? I… I can't believe you have the audacity to ask that."

"Well, what the hell else can I do?!" he bellowed. "All any of you can do is tell me what you think, but you don't actually know."

"No," she stepped towards him, "No, you're right. We obviously weren't in your heads or your hearts, but you want to know how we're so sure?"

"How?" he asked when she reached him, still remaining defiant and cold.

"Because we saw it."

Before Elijah could react, K grabbed his head and dove deeply into her own memories. If he couldn't make it past the Red Door, she'd just have to show him what she knew.

Elijah's mind was bombarded with images of him and the woman who'd burned to death. They were sweet and kind, smiling at one another and holding hands. He saw –through K's eyes- the way his mirror image stared at the dark-haired young woman. He saw how Hayley stared back. He even saw them standing together, so close there wasn't a single inch between them. Hayley was naked and covered in blood except for a suit jacket wrapped around her shoulders. And they were… there was something there. It was undeniable.

"Get off me!" he yelled, shoving K violently back.

She stumbled, but Klaus caught her. The two were breathing heavily and Elijah looked unsteady on his feet as he tried to make sense of the images in his mind.

"You might not remember her, but we do." K said angrily. "We saw everything, the way you two spoke to each other, the way you looked at each other. We know how the real Elijah felt about her, so you don't get to stand there and dismiss Hayley as though she doesn't matter. You are just a shell."

"Well spoke, darling." Klaus told her, tenderly touching her back as her turned his eye to his brother. "You see, Elijah was my other half. He was always there when I needed him, always there to reign me in when my rage got the better of me. He was the man who told me I could be worthy of Hope and he was my best friend. And you," he pointed at Elijah, "You killed him. And I hate you for it."

The atmosphere was thick and tense, filled with the rage that could only come from blood relations, but before another word could be uttered, four of the five felt their insides twist.

Kol, Rebekah, K and Elijah lurched and gasped for air, clutching at their chests while Klaus looked on, helpless.

"What's happening?" he demanded.

"Hope," Kol breathed. "She's taking the power back. There's nothing we can do to stop it."

Klaus watched on as his family began to crumble to their knees and their chests glowed blue. They all struggled with the invisible force that had hold of them, but it was all for naught. Just as suddenly as it began, the spell ended. Blue magic, the life force of the Hollow, fled their bodies and disappeared into the sky.

Together they collapsed, panting as though they'd been in a fight.

As they recovered, Marcel appeared from the bowels of the manor with Elijah's key. He truly was smarter than K gave him credit for. He was the one who deduced that each key was put somewhere special, a place that signified Hope's opinion of that family member. Oddly poetic, but then again, she is her father's daughter.

One by one, they unlocked the remaining padlocks and the door slid open. All of them had expected to see the real world, to awaken in their bodies, but no. Instead, they stepped into a long, white corridor –just like the one Elijah described, complete with a red door.

"We're meant to walk through our door." Kol said, glancing at a K on a white slab, "But this…"

"Kol," K chimed from two doors down. "I think this is yours. It doesn't feel right to me."

He joined her side and sure enough, her door simply held a "K" as well. This time, however, it felt "right" to him.

With a smile to his siblings, he stepped through and vanished. Next, Marcel disappeared. K stood in front of her door, but her eye was on Klaus.

"I'll see you soon, sweetheart." He told her as he stood before his N.

She offered a small smile, a soft kiss and disappeared through her door.

K awoke in the center of a spell. Kol was standing just outside the circle next to Klaus' unconscious body, while Rebekah and Elijah remained within the design. K tenderly stepped out and almost immediately afterward, Rebekah woke. She soon joined the others.

"Where's Hope?" K asked when she noticed they were sitting in the remnants of a spell, but the witches who cast it were gone.

"She and Freya were gone before I woke." Kol told her.

K nodded her understanding as she went to Klaus' side. "And what's taking them so long?" she asked as she knelt beside her husband, praying that he actually woke.

"Nik is going to help Elijah through his door." Rebekah explained.

Somehow, the words were utterly terrifying. None of them knew what would happen when the two woke. They didn't know if Elijah would be with them, or just the same shell he'd always been.

Just as suddenly as they'd all awakened, Klaus and Elijah jolted back to life. K immediately helped the hybrid stand, cradling his face as though something might be wrong.

"It's alright," he whispered, taking her hands into his and lowering them.

K barely managed a smile which he returned.

Attention slowly drifted to the man still in the circle. Elijah stared up at the ceiling, unmoving, but they could all tell something had changed. His eyes were pink and welling with tears, and when he stood to face them, they could see it. He remembered.

Slowly but surely the memories returned to his mind and the sounds he let out… heartbreaking was too small a word to describe the pain in them. They were the sounds of ultimate suffering, or something so deep that there was nothing that could save it. It saturated the air and affected even those watching. None could keep tears from their eyes as they watched Elijah –the real Elijah- mourn the death of the only woman he'd loved.


	10. Chapter 10

**AN:** Whoo! This show's gotten depressing! Holy crap... Well, fair warning, this is a depressing chapter, cause damn. That's what they're giving me to work with. So, I'm uploading this one now and the second I promised will be up much later tonight. Let me know what you think and as always, enjoy!

 **Chapter Ten**

K had just gotten off the phone with Caroline. She was checking on the boys and was glad to hear that they were thriving in the school. She was scared to send them off for more than a few reasons, but to hear they were adjusting wonderfully and having fun in school was both the best and worst thing she could hope for. Them adjusting like that meant they were that much closer to growing up. Heartbreaking thought for any mother.

She walked down the hall towards Hope's room. With her home, it was hard for K not to watch her. It was strange being able to be around her again, strange but wonderful, too.

Rounding the corner, K glanced into Hope's room and saw her sitting at an easel painting. Her heart swelled and a smile graced her lips as she looked in at her.

Hope suddenly sighed loudly and let her arm drop. "Dad, you don't have to-" when she turned, she noticed it wasn't Klaus in the doorway and smiled sheepishly because of it. "Sorry, I thought you were dad."

"He's been hovering, I take it?" K asked with a grin as she entered the room.

"Yeah," she sighed again. Hope set her paintbrush down. "He's worried, I guess."

"He should be." She said. "We all are."

Hope groaned and rolled her eyes like every average teenaged girl when their parents said something they considered ridiculous.

"I'm fine." She declared, sounding like she'd been repeating the statement a thousand times over. "Honestly, it's… everything's fine."

K narrowed her eyes. She stepped closer and examined Hope closely. She could tell something was wrong with her, even if the teen said she was alright.

"You can be honest, sweetheart." K told her. "If something doesn't feel right, you can tell us."

"Why? So dad can say I told you so?" she asked a bit agitated.

"No," K replied with her brows creased. "So we can help you if we need to. Sweetheart, I know what that thing feels like, and that was just the smallest fraction. You have all of that evil shoved inside you. If something feels off, tell us. Please."

Hope didn't look as though she wanted to talk about it, but in her attempts to shield her face from K, the hybrid woman could see it. Words didn't need to be spoken to know what was happening. Just by the sheepish way Hope tried to avoid her eye, K knew the witch was inside there, crawling and scratching, probably whispering to her, too.

* * *

By that evening, Hope was becoming erratic. The bracelet that once held her power at bay now burned her skin like a hot poker. She couldn't drown out the voices, either. They grew louder and more persistent. They may have been only a whisper, but a thousand at once were deafening.

K heard the commotion downstairs and rushed towards it. Klaus had crumpled to the ground unconscious while Hope held her head, screaming at an unseen force to leave her alone. K rushed forward. She instantly wrapped her arms tightly around the girl she helped raised and held tight.

"They won't stop!" Hope screamed, squirming and twisting in K's arms.

"Look at me," K put space between them and took hold of Hope's face. She tried to force her to meet her eye. "Look at me, okay." Hope did as she asked. K could see the torment, the pain and ache racing through Hope and it frightened her. "Breathe slowly for me, okay?"

"I don't need to meditate!"

She tried to shove K away, but Kali wouldn't let her. She held on as tightly as she could without hurting Hope. "Just try it." She said. "Please, Hope."

Hope did as best she could, taking in one shaking breath after another, but she either had no patience for it, or simply couldn't manage the task.

"I can't!"

A wave of magic pulsed from Hope sending K flying through the air. She hit the wall hard, sliding down the broken stone until she hit the unforgiving floor. K's body ached. The force with which she hit the wall was enough to break some of the bones in her back, bones that were barely starting to heal before the world went black.

When she rose again sometime later, K found herself alone in the parlor. Klaus and Hope were both gone, leaving her and the destruction Hope had caused behind. K got to her feet as quickly as she could and grabbed her cell phone. The only person she knew to call was Klaus.

He didn't answer. She tried again, and again, until she finally got an answer.

"It's alright." Klaus said. K spun to see him walking up behind her as casual as ever. "Everything's alright."

Angry, K charged him and went so far as to slap her husband. Klaus's face snapped to the side under the force and for a moment, a satisfying handprint glowed against his skin. It healed within seconds, however, disappearing as though it'd never existed by the time he turned to look at her again.

"If I call you, answer." She growled through her teeth.

"Understood." He said with a twist of surprise at her reaction. "But everything alright now. Hope's asleep in her bed."

K's brows came together, furrowing tightly. "How long was I out?"

"A couple of hours." He admitted. "I'd come down here to tend to you, but I wanted to deal with Hope, first."

K breathed deeply. She ran her fingers through her hair, fisting it tightly at the crown before letting out her breath in a long, heavy sigh.

"What's happening to her?" she asked, almost rhetorically.

"I don't know." He replied. "That thing is getting to her, though, gnawing at her."

K's expression fell and her eyes began to sting with the promise of tears. She turned her gaze to Klaus again.

"You don't know what it was like having that thing crawling inside you." She told him with a shaking voice. "It was always there, just beneath the surface, like not-so-distant feeling that never truly left. It was worse when we were near one another, but now… she has all that inside her." K pulled her bottom lip through her teeth as she stared mournfully at him. "It's too much for her, Nik. She can't hold onto that forever."

"I know." He said in an equally fearful voice. "But I don't know how to protect her from this."

Her heart broke for him, for Hope… for herself. The oppressive air in the house was only growing worse by the moment, added to by new, horrible revelations each day. How were they supposed to overcome this? Enemies of the past were flesh and blood. This? This was something ethereal, something not entirely real, and existing in a child they all cared about.

K stepped forward and hugged Klaus. He wrapped his arms around her, squeezing her tightly to him. They cradled one another as best they could, both lost and both internally thinking that if Hayley were there, she'd somehow know what to do.

* * *

When morning came, K learned the full devastation of the night before. While she'd been unconscious, the werewolves were bombed and half the witch population killed. The fanatics had taken their plans to the next level, which made them even more dangerous than before. And, to her horror, Klaus was letting Hope unleash her anger on him in hopes of quelling the rage inside her.

Everyone had gone mad.

"Are you insane?" she hissed, grasping Klaus by the arm and yanking him back before he had the chance to leave the manor.

He gave her an un-amused glare. "What would you have me do, hm? She needs to get this thing under control and the only way to do it is with violence."

"Do you hear yourself? You're willing to destroy who she is, Nik. You realize that, don't you?"

"I am helping her!" He bellowed. "What else is there? Perhaps if we placate the creature for now, it'll give Hope some bloody peace."

"At the cost of what?" K dared. "You're asking her to kill someone."

"I'm not asking anything. She requested it, and I'm only too happy to give her the chance."

"You do this, and you're killing Hope." She told him, pointing a stern, angry finger at him in the process. "You're killing her humanity, turning her into us."

"So long as she doesn't kill a human being, I don't see the issue." He said casually.

K shook her head disappointedly at him. "Of course you don't."

He flinched at her response. With a scoff, K stormed away. She was too furious to deal with him at the moment, especially when he clearly didn't understand what he was doing.

If that was his idea of helping, if that was all the brute inside him would allow, K would have to search for something else. She'd have to look for something better to help Hope, something that wouldn't turn her soul as black as the rest of them.

* * *

For hours, K poured over Esther's old grimoires, Hope's, and Freya's. Any book in the house that had the slightest bit of magic within its pages was laid out before her on the floor, opened and bare for her to read through.

But there was nothing. No matter what she read, no matter how many different languages some of them were written in, K honestly didn't know what they were. Some were labeled, but that truly didn't matter. She'd seen witches take bits and pieces from a dozen different spells and mold them into one that suited their purpose. But her brain didn't work like that. Kali didn't have magic, or the ability to understand it in those depths, despite the time she spent around witches.

K crossed her legs and propped her elbows on her knees. She buried her face in her hands and felt everything within her break. The tears came shortly after.

She felt like she was in a hurricane, being thrown from one direction to another, like her body was being torn apart. There was nothing steady to hold onto, no anchor to help her weather the storm. The world was crumbling into chaos and she had no idea how to stop it.

"Kali,"

Her name softly spoken brought K back to the world. She sniffed and wiped her hands across her cheeks to try and rid them of tears, but the evidence was still clear when she looked up and saw Hope standing only a few feet beyond the sea of books surrounding her. She tried to force a smile, but it was weighed down by tear-stained cheeks.

"Hey," she said on a breath. "What are you doing down here?"

"I wanted to say I'm sorry." She said as she approached, stepping carefully through the texts. "I didn't mean to hurt you yesterday."

"Oh, I know." K smiled heavily. "I know you didn't, sweetheart. It's okay."

Hope glanced around at the evidence that K was looking for something. She finally stopped beside the hybrid and sat down next to her.

"Is this because of me?" she asked despite knowing full well.

"I was wondering if there was anything to help, but I'll be honest, it's all a bunch of squiggles in my mind."

Hope laughed lightly. She looked at K and saw the remnants of tears. It was then K noticed her eyes tinting pink, too.

"And that's because of me, too, isn't it?" she asked, remarking on K's obvious crying.

"No," K said softly. She reached out and tenderly held Hope's cheek. "It's everything, sweetie. It's not you."

Hope's brows came together and it was clear she was about to cry. "I don't know how to stop this."

K reached for her. She pulled Hope into her lap, an action that the young girl fell into easily. K cradled her to her chest, tenderly stroking her hair as Hope began to cry. The tears returned to her eyes, too.

"We'll find something." K replied. "We always find something."

"I'm just so scared, mama." And she broke, clutching desperately at K's arms.

K buried her face in Hope's hair while she cried unashamedly into K's chest. The hybrid held her tight, rocking her back and forth like she did when Hope was young. She wanted so badly to take away her pain, but didn't know how.

Still, for those few minutes, K found something to hold onto. She found her anchor.


	11. Chapter 11

**AN:** Hey guys! Here's the second chapter I promised. I know it's ends a little weird, but I wanted to have some extra for the next chapter, just in case since I don't know what the next episode will give me. I hope you enjoy!

 **Chapter Eleven**

Elijah had a plan and one the others fully supported. It was beautiful in its elegance and simplicity, really. It solved all their problems in one fell swoop.

K was reticent, but slowly beginning to see things from Klaus's point of view. The convincing was easily, actually, the moment she saw the toxic veins on Hope's arms. At that point, K simply wanted her to expel the toxins as quickly as possible, and who better to use as cannon fodder than the ones intimately tied to Hayley's death?

Hope led the way, shoving the doors to Saint Anne's open with little more than a flick of her wrist. A swarm of radicalists stood within its belly, shocked and terrified to see her, Klaus, and K storm into the chapel together.

"The hell are they doing here?"

"The path to redemption is winding," Elijah said with a gentle smile, "But worthy."

"You betrayed us!"

"You can leave them to us, now." Klaus said with a wicked smirk. An instant later, Marcel joined them as well.

"Oh, I'm going to enjoy this."

"Go ahead, sweetheart." Klaus told his daughter. "Let it all out."

Strong and unwavering in her stance, Hope stepped forward. The vampire purists shifted uncomfortably where they stood, eying the girl barely old enough to drive with the purest fear.

And suddenly, with a banshee's scream, magic flowed from Hope's body. The blue wave of destruction leveled the mass before her. The vampires tried to stand, tried to hold on, but she was far too strong. Within seconds, they were rendered truly lifeless.

When it was all over, Hope stood in terror of what she could do. The gravity of the power coursing through her was finally made manifest, and she wasn't certain how to comprehend it. Klaus and Marcel spoke softly to one another, but K's attention was solely on Hope. She wanted to know how comfortable –if at all- she was with what she'd done. It'd tell K whether they opened an unclosable door within her, or not.

A noise from above diverted their attention quickly, however. Klaus charged upstairs with Hope and K close behind and found something that instantly brought a startling reality to what happened seconds prior. Declan, a man K hadn't met before, was lying against some bookcases, bleeding from the head.

"Oh my god, Declan…" Hope gasped. "Is he gonna live?"

Klaus slowly approached the young man. He knew the same thing K did. No, Declan probably wasn't going to survive as he was, which would mean Hope had inadvertently triggered her werewolf gene.

"Kali, get her out of here." He said over his shoulder.

"Dad,"

"Hope, go." He told her sternly.

"Come on," K took her hand and whether she wanted to or not, Hope followed her guidance.

When they were gone, Klaus bit into his wrist and fed Declan his blood. He didn't want Hope to have his death on her conscious. The vampires were something else, but not a human she knew and cared for –despite what Klaus might feel for him.

It didn't matter, though. It never seems to, no matter how hard they try. The worst possible outcome is always waiting for them right around the corner.

* * *

K took Hope to the cemetery. She wanted to pay her respects to the man she'd inadvertently killed in the church, and K was more than willing to help her as best she could.

The sound of footsteps drew their eye over their shoulder. Klaus had decided to join them after the fact.

"You didn't have to come, too." Hope said as she looked back at the altar.

"I wanted to make sure you're alright." He told her.

Hope didn't seem to want to talk about it and instead chose to change the subject. "I don't know why we leave flowers. It's not like they care."

"It's never for them." K told her softly. "Funerals, altars, flowers… they're for us. It's how we handle the loss and honor the dead."

"Yeah, well, it's not much of an apology for killing someone."

They saw her shift uncomfortably from behind and heard the guilt in her voice. It broke their hearts.

"Unintentionally." Klaus corrected. "It was an unfortunate side effect of ridding the city of vermin. You have nothing to apologize for."

K scoffed and shook her head. "Nik, enough." She said softly.

"Don't make it sound so noble." Hope said sternly, turning to face her father. "I killed someone, dad, and there's no coming back from that. But it looks like he'll get his revenge next week for the full moon."

Klaus sighed and shook his head, slowly approaching her. "Hope, you may be treading it, but once it happens, you're going to feel better."

"I don't know if I'm dreading it. I mean, part of me hopes I'll turn, and never turn back." She said haughtily. "Mom said that after the pain, it's one of the best feelings in the world." They all still felt a small twinge at the mention of Hayley. "I just can't believe I have to do this without her…"

Klaus shifted his weight, moving from one foot to the other as he tried to find the words to console his daughter, but was admittedly lacking in the ability.

"I know that no one can replace your mother," he told her, "but you won't be doing this alone."

"I know." She said. "But uh… I just want to be alone, for now."

Klaus and K glanced to one another and came to an agreement. Leaning forward, he kissed her tenderly on the forehead and walked a few steps away and K did the same.

Together, the two adults left Hope to her own devices, left her to mourn the life she'd taken, but the atmosphere surrounding them had grown tense.

"Her neck…" Klaus said as he and K made their way out of the cemetery.

"I know." She replied.

They'd both seen it while they were talking to her. Hope's marks were spreading. Now, the infection touched the back of her neck. The Hollow was taking over.

* * *

Weddings were meant to be happy, but Mikaelson weddings… well, those were meant to be filled with more heartache than joy –just like their lives.

Between quarreling brides, broken hearts, and devastating news, poor Freya must have been on the brink of destruction.

K was doing her best getting things ready, gathering the supplies needed to help both Keelin and Freya get dressed for the wedding that –as of now- had been called off. K didn't believe it, though. More accurately, she didn't want to believe it was over. Freya deserved to be happy and given how everything had transpired over the last couple months, a party celebrating love was exactly what they needed.

A light tapping brought her out of her thoughts. K turned to see Klaus standing in the doorframe with what was perhaps one of the saddest expressions she'd probably ever seen.

"What's wrong?" she asked, already fearing the answer.

He looked at her with tear-filled eyes. K slowly rose to her feet. Klaus looked lost, afraid, and that in turn frightened her.

"She's dying." He choked on the words.

K felt a pit grow in her stomach. "Who?" She didn't want to know the answer.

She continued to approach the nearly broken man and finally stopped within arm's reach of him. He could barely bring himself to look her in the eye.

"Hope," The name left his lips on a breath, a breath that was strong enough to break her completely.

K immediately reached for Klaus. She wrapped her arms around him and held tight. Klaus hesitated to return the action. His arms felt as though they weighed tons, but he eventually managed to lift them. When he did hug her, however, he couldn't let go.

Klaus buried his face in the nape of her neck. His breath burned against her skin and he trembled. She understood completely.

Everything around them disappeared as they clung to one another. How could this be happening? How could so many horrible things happen to such a sweet girl? Was this the universe's cruel joke, its way of punishing her for sharing the blood of a Mikaelson? It wasn't fair.

She didn't know how long they held one another, but eventually they parted. They'd found their way to the bed they shared, sitting side by side.

"When do the boys arrive?" Klaus finally asked. His voice was broken and soft, a perfect representation of the moment.

"In an hour." K replied as she continued to tenderly run her fingers along the inside of his arm, absently hoping it'd distract her from the moment. "Caroline sent them with Alaric."

She felt him nod. "That's good. It'll be nice to have everyone together. They've never met their aunts and uncles."

"No, they haven't."

And they fell silent again. There was nothing else to say for the moment. K had arranged for the boys to come for Freya's wedding and whether it came to fruition or not, Matthew and Alexander needed to meet the rest of their family, and this may be the last time they're all together.

* * *

When Klaus saw his sons, he felt a rush of joy and warmth wash over him. It helped wash away the cold bitterness of everything that'd happened lately.

K brought the boys to their room and unpacked their things while they played and stretched. The flight wasn't long compared to some they'd taken in their lives, but they were little and being pent up for even a couple hours was probably enough to make them crazy.

"Knock, knock," Rebekah said from the door. K turned and saw her smiling happily. "I heard my nephews had finally arrived and I wanted to come say hello."

Rebekah's eyes fell to the little boys with matching faces and she swooned. She couldn't help it, the action simply came forward.

"Aren't you handsome." She smiled. Rebekah knelt down so she could be eyelevel with the two. "I'm Rebekah."

K brought them closer. For some reason, the pair were acting more shy than usual, which she thought was simply adorable.

"This is Matthew," she said, introducing the dark-haired boy with the brilliant eyes and the small beauty mark beneath his left eye. "And this is Alexander." She said, introducing the second identical boy, minus the beauty mark. "Boys, this is Rebekah, daddy's little sister."

"I've heard so much about the both of you." Rebekah smiled. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you." She offered a hand and to her surprise, each shook it.

"Hi," they mumbled softly.

Rebekah giggled at the two as she rose to her feet. "Are you nearly ready?"

"Almost." K replied. "I just need to get them cleaned up, dressed, and get dressed myself."

"Alright. We need to leave within the hour."

"No problem."

With another smile, Rebekah left. She was driving K and the boys to the venue while Klaus took Freya. Keelin was already there, and Marcel was arriving with Hope, Kol, and Davina. It amazed K how many would be in attendance, but it made her so happy, too.

As she said they would be, she and the boys were ready before they had to leave. Freya made them both ring bearers, so they had to be there a little early.

When they arrived, the boys stuck close to K. She wasn't surprised. With everything being as new as it was, she knew she had a few hours before they decided to race around the grounds like the wild men they could be.

"I'm going to go see Freya." Rebekah said when they made it to the barn.

K nodded and watched as the blond broke away to find her sister.

"Kali?"

K turned and saw Davina and Kol approaching her. Kol was smiling warmly while Davins seemed a little surprised.

"Kol, Davina, hi." She greeted.

"Hi," Davina couldn't hide her shock. "Who are these little guys?"

"My nephews." Kol said with a hint of pride that warmed K's heart. Davin's shock doubled. "Hello, lads." He greeted the boys, offering his hand like Rebekah had. "I'm your uncle Kol, but I doubt your mummy's told you too much about me." He gave K a small wink. It was clear he was teasing her, for which she was grateful. Of all the siblings, her past with Kol had been by far the lightest.

"The trickster." Matthew mumbled in his soft, young voice.

Kol's face lit up with a smile. He'd since heard the stories K had told Hope about their family since he woke, so he knew the nickname well, and he was glad to hear it.

"That's right." He chuckled. "And this is Davina, my wife. Another aunt."

"Davina's a witch," K told her boys. "Just like Aunt Freya, Hope, and you."

Davina smiled sweetly to the two and knelt before them. She could sense their power, their strength, and assumed they could sense the same from her.

"Hi," she said kindly.

* * *

Eventually it came time for the ceremony to begin. K led the way holding her sons' hands while each of them held a small slice of wood, rawly cut from a tree, with a ring tied to it with ribbon.

Kol stood at the head of the procession beaming proudly. Keelin was to the left holding a bouquet and smiling so wide it had to hurt. On her side stood Davina and Marcel, while Rebekah and Hope lingered to the right. The air was finally light, finally joyous and the tension filling it was for something wonderful about to happen, not dreadful.

When they reached the end of the procession, K and the Alexander stepped to the left with Keelin, while Hope took Matthew's hand and guided him to the right. The music shifted and attention fell to the end of the aisle. Freya emerged, flanked on either side by her brothers. She could barely contain her excitement as she approached her soon-to-be wife.

As they finally joined Kol and Keelin, Klaus and Elijah broke away allowing Freya to stand beside her wife. The others soon stepped behind them, forming a semi-circle around the pair. Unlike most weddings, there was no division between sides. There was no bride's side, groom's side (or in this case bride and bride) because they were all together, all a family, so they stood as one.

"Dearly beloved," Kol declared, "Now, not to make this all about me, but we know how families work. Sometimes it's dinner, and sometimes it's daggers." Klaus flinched. "Now, I don't know why it takes something as special as this to wake us up, to show us the beauty in the moment, or to show us to be grateful for what we have when we have it, but I for one am grateful for today, and for all of you.

"Keelin, now, when I first met you, I never would have predicted you'd become my sister. But you are strong, and beautiful, and deserve nothing but the best in life."

Kol's voice slowly began to fade away. K didn't mean to lose herself in thought, but it happened regardless. With a glance around, she could tell most of them had the same issue.

Kol asking her for the rings brought her back into the moment, however. Hope brought Alex forward. He held the piece of wood and let Freya untie her ring. With a smile, she gives it to Keelin. K did the same with Matt, and Keelin repeated the process for the ring she slid onto Freya's finger.

"And with the power vested in my by a Franciscan monk in the thirteenth century, and the internet a few hours ago just to be safe," Kol grinned. "I now pronounce you married. You may both kiss the bride."

As Freya and Keelin kissed, sealing their bond for the rest of their lives, the group of family and friends clapped.

A bit of levity in a troubled life was unbelievably welcome.


	12. Chapter 12

**AN:** UGH! I am so sorry it's been two weeks. Really. I'm not even going to go into the shit-storm that was my broken laptop and getting it fixed. Needless to say, not only did this story remain untouched, but so did two weeks of work. I was nt a happy camper. Anyway! This is the last and final chapter of all these books. It's long, which I hope makes up for it, and given how damn depressing the episodes were, hopefully this is a little lighter. I tried to cut out some of the sadness and add a happy ending. So, as always, please let me know what you think and enjoy! This was a fun experience and thank you to you all for staying with me. :)

 **Chapter Twelve**

After the ceremony, the party began.

The music echoed through the grounds, Keelin danced with Hope, Freya looked on lovingly, Kol held Davina close while they swayed a bit too slowly for the quick tempo, and all were blissfully unaware of the truth of what was happening. No one needed to know, not yet, at least. Let Freya and Keelin have their moment. Too much heartache had already preceded it. No need to add more.

K held Matthew to her chest and danced languidly with him. She'd already done the same to Alexander. He was currently sleeping soundly on a blanket-covered haystack. Matthew would join him in a moment.

Klaus looked on at his family, Elijah sitting beside him at the small table. He saw his sister happy and joyful. He saw his daughter the same, and his wife with one of their sons. He was beside his brother, Rebekah close at hand, Kol, Davina and Marcel the same. For once, his family was in one place. Everyone he held close was together. There was no fighting, no angry words –nothing. It was just family.

"How could it take us a thousand years to reach this point?" he asked, not truly expecting an answer.

"How long is irrelevant." Elijah replied in a somber tone. "The point is we've finally reached it."

"Hm," Klaus mumbled. He didn't want to point out how fleeting a moment it was. Elijah already knew.

K diverting from the dance floor drew his eye. Cradling Matthew, she brought him to his brother's side and laid him down. The two shifted only briefly before falling fast asleep, side by side as they always did. K tugged the edge of the blanket over them so they could sleep.

"If you'll excuse me," Klaus said as he stood. "I'd like to dance with my wife."

Elijah offered a sad, half-smile and nodded while Klaus joined K. H took her hand, guided her to the dance floor, and let himself try to forget what loomed overhead.

* * *

In the week following the wedding, news about Hope had spread through the family. They all knew now how dangerous the situation truly was, and what the end result would be.

Another miracle cure was being searched for, but no matter how many eyes looked for one, it was never found. The books had nothing similar, which shocked very few of them. In all honesty, the Mikaelson family's exploits were generally what prompted the majority of the spells that had been created through the centuries.

But Klaus had an idea, an idea he knew would work, and one he didn't share with a soul because he knew no one in his family would support it. The only person that would was a thousand miles away.

He used the lie that they were going to take the boys back to school. Elijah knew his brother had something else in mind, and K was skeptical too, but Klaus didn't come right out and tell anyone what he was thinking. Instead, he just kept repeating, "The school knows how to deal with a werewolf's first transition."

Almost as soon as arriving, Matthew and Alexander scampered off to play with their friends. There were so few children younger than teenagers at the school that anyone even remotely close to their age was an automatic buddy. Truthfully, most witches' powers don't mature until a child hit puberty. In that regard, she pitied her sons. They've never known a time without their power.

While Klaus spoke with Caroline, K and Elijah waited on Hope to put her things away. She turned her attention to her brother.

"What's he planning?" she asked him under her breath.

"I don't know." He replied with a sigh. "But something tells me, neither of us will like it."

K grit her teeth. He was probably right.

* * *

K hovered round the school, trying to think of her own way to stave off Hope's inevitable decline, but she always returned to the same conclusion. One way or another, Hope would have to die, but at least one way, it wouldn't be permanent. After all, vampires can't us magic.

The one and only thing that kept running through her thoughts was turning Hope. If she were bitten and turned, the magic would leave her body, just like it did for Abby and every other witch who'd been turned through the years. Vampires are dead things. Witches are all about life.

But could she really ask Hope to do that? K remembered hearing from Bonnie how depressed Abby became because she couldn't feel the world anymore, she couldn't feel the magic running through everything around her. She said Abby actually felt dead, like her senses had been torn away. Abby said she felt cold and empty. Those were two emotions K wanted to keep as far from Hope as possible, but what else was there? Surely, she should at least tell Hope she had the option before Klaus does something stupid.

Deciding she had no choice but to at least speak the idea, K walked back into the halls of the Salvatore school. She wove through the corridors and towards a room in which she heard familiar voices. What they said, however, was probably not meant for her ears.

"…is the last remaining white oak stake." She heard Klaus say. "And when the Hollow is in me, there's only one way to make sure it's gone for good. Someone needs to kill me."

K felt her heart seize. Idiot. That damned idiot.

She pushed the door open harder than she meant to. It slammed into the wall, embedding the doorknob in the drywall.

Alaric, Caroline, and Klaus all spun to see her approach, but her eyes were only on one. He flinched under the intensity of her stare while she took slow, stilted steps forward. For some reason, he attempted to shield the stake behind his back, as though she hadn't already clearly heard what he had.

"Forgive me," she said in a voice that matched her demeanor, "But did I just hear you say you intend to die?"

He clenched his jaw and straightened himself. "It's the only way."

K was across the room faster than the others could register. It wasn't until she had Klaus by the throat, pinned to a distant wall that they realized what she'd done.

K stared at him through her lashes, her face stoic and cold, but her eyes beginning to well with tears. Her jaw was tight, the muscle beneath chording as she chewed on the inside of her cheek.

"You plan to kill yourself." She said through her teeth.

Klaus didn't bother lying. "Yes,"

K's fingers tightened around his throat. Klaus coughed and sputtered briefly, but did his best to remain strong.

"No, you won't." her voice quivered despite her attempts to remain strong.

"Uh…" Caroline's voice barely made it through the angry fog taking K's brain. "Maybe we should give you guys a minute."

She heard footsteps and a door close a moment later. When it had, K finally released him. Klaus again coughed as his throat healed.

"You selfish, egotistical, arrogant," she began to rant. "How could you possibly do this?"

"What else am I meant to do?" He dared. "That magic is too strong to divide up amongst us again, and it's killing Hope. There's no other way."

"There's always another way!" she yelled. "Killing yourself isn't it."

"She is dying, Kali!" he screamed back. Klaus began to shake. "Do you honestly expect me to allow that to happen?"

"I expect you to think! I expect you to…" her voice fell. K tried to stare back defiantly, but the tears were now gliding down her cheek and her jaw quivered. "What am I supposed to tell your sons, hm?" he flinched. "They need their father, too. Hope needs her father."

"Why?" he asked in a broken tone. Kali physically jolted. Calmly, he continued. "Why do they need me?"

"Are you kidding?"

"No," he shook his head and slowly approached her. "I am an evil thing, I know this. We all do. I bring nothing but heartache and pain down on their heads, and always will. Hope's already felt it in her short life, and thankfully Matthew and Alexander are too young to know the monster their father is, but someday they will, and I can't let that happen. If there's even a chance that I can save our children, all of them, from the hell I've brought, then I will." He tried to remain strong, but K could see the pain in his eyes. "Hope deserves a life, a real life, without my shadow being cast on her. All of you do." He stood less than arm's length in front of her. Klaus tenderly reached out and cradled the back of K's neck, bringing it forward, he placed a small kiss on her forehead. "I'm sorry."

And with that, he vanished. K let out a long, strangled gasp. This couldn't be happening.

Her knees trembled and before she could gather herself, K fell to the floor. Yes, she meant what she said, but her reasons for keeping him were much more selfish than that. She didn't want to lose Klaus. He was the only man –only person- that she'd ever loved in her unnaturally long life. He was her other half, the person that made her complete, and she wasn't going to watch him die.

Digging through her pocket frantically for her phone, K dialed the only number she could think of.

" _Hello_?"

"Elijah," her voice broke. "I know what he's going to do."

* * *

Later that night:

Hope raced through the woods, gone somewhere that wasn't near the chanting twins. Klaus stood outside the circle while they held the magic at bay with K and Elijah at his side.

Klaus turned to them both. He expected some interference. After the fight he had with his brother at the school in which K had to intercede, he expected some half-cocked scheme of theirs to be loosed any moment, but it didn't seem like either of them were going to act. It both saddened and relieved him. Klaus wasn't certain he had the strength to fight the pair, nor the desire.

Klaus approached his brother first and offered a half-hearted smile. "Thank you," he said warmly.

"For what?" Elijah asked, his jaw tight and clenched.

"For letting me go through with this." A smirk formed, one more akin to his personality. "Truthfully, I expected some ridiculous ploy at the last moment, some attempt to keep me from doing this."

"Did you?" Elijah asked coldly.

"I did." He nodded. "So thank you, for no interfering."

"I told you I wouldn't, Niklaus."

"Yes," he reached out and gently laid his hand on his brother's shoulder. "You did."

Elijah smiled lightly.

Without warning, the sound of breaking bones filled the air and Klaus collapsed onto the dirt ground. Elijah watched his brother crumble with a calm expression. He sighed, and glanced up to K.

"He won't be happy when he wakes." Elijah told her.

"I know." She nodded. "But he'll get over it."

"Perhaps." Elijah replied. His gaze drifted to the glowing blue orb being held aloft by two teenaged girls.

"Are you certain?" she asked out of some unspoken need.

"Completely." Elijah replied. Buttoning his coat, he stepped into the circle.

As they'd been told to by their mother only hours prior, the girls directed the magic into their intended target, Elijah Mikaelson.

K held the white oak stake she took from Klaus' body as Elijah screamed, allowing the magic to flow into him. For one last time, Elijah saved Klaus from himself.

* * *

Klaus woke with a start, lying on a couch in a familiar setting, one that was nowhere near Virginia.

"How did I get here?" Klaus demanded as he shot to his feet.

"By car." A calm, cool voice answered from behind. He spun and saw K the source.

"What have you done?" he growled.

"What I had to."

"You had no right!" he pointed an angry finger at her. "This was my decision!"

"And you made it wrong!" she yelled back.

Klaus raced forward and grabbed K's arms. He turned them over in his hands, noting the suspicious lack of black veins.

"Where is it?" he asked angrily. "Where's the power?"

K removed her arms from his hold and calmly left the room. Whether he wanted to or not, Klaus followed.

She led him to the study on the first floor and that's where he found Elijah, sleeping soundly on the couch, black veins infecting his body. Klaus' heart sank and a defeated breath left his parted lips.

He approached his silent brother tentatively, almost afraid he'd hurt him if he moved to quickly. Klaus sat on the coffee table across from him and tried to absorb what he was seeing. In his mind's confusion, it's inability to settle, rage again took hold. It was simply his default.

"What have you done?" he asked as he shot a murderous glare in K's direction.

"Exactly what needed to be done." She told him calmly. "Elijah wanted this, Klaus. He wanted to take the power."

"It wasn't his to take!" he bellowed as he rose to his feet. His eyes tinted pink and despite his anger, she could see his fear. "He wasn't supposed to do this."

"It's done."

"NO!" he shouted. "We are going back to Mystic Falls and those girls are going to do this right."

"No, we're not."

"If you try to stand in my way…"

"Enough," she said. She knew her constant calmness was probably pushing him closer to the edge, but it didn't matter. She wasn't going to scream and yell, too. "If you want to help Elijah, Freya found something."

His brows came together. "What?"

"There's a spell she found. It'll help take away some of the pain this will put him through. If you want to help him, that's how. But that's the only way."

He seemed to weigh his options. K could practically see the wheels turning inside his mind, the multiple ways he was trying to find a way to undo what they did, but he couldn't. At least not that quickly.

"Come on," K took his hand and guided him out of the room.

She knew the moment she and Elijah came up with their plan that there was a chance Klaus would react violently. Actually, it was more than a chance. It was an inevitability.

For some reason, Klaus assumed K was alright with the exchange. On some level, she was, but she knew what he didn't and what he couldn't accept. Elijah was tired. He was so drawn from everything that had happened and truthfully just wanted a way out. He wanted to be at rest, to be at peace for the first time in his life. He wanted to be with Hayley, and after what Hope said in town that night, he knew he could be. Elijah just wanted to sleep and never wake up. K was more than willing to give him that, because unlike Klaus, she was removed far enough to let him be free.

After the spell was performed, Elijah woke. He was surprised by it, honestly. He knew the magic was strong enough that Hope had to keep him under until he was staked. He never expected to wake, honestly, but a small part of him was glad he had, albeit confused.

"Dirty trick, brother." Klaus told him calmly, but with a hint of rage.

"Why am I awake?" he asked as he sat up.

Klaus arched a brow. "Did you honestly think you could simply disappear into the void without getting to hear my opinions on the matter? Honestly, brother, I thought knew me better." Elijah smiled to himself, but Klaus found no humor in the matter. "Why, Elijah?"

"Because it needed to be done." He replied.

"Sanctimonious to the end, hm?"

Elijah sighed and rolled his eyes. "You don't understand."

"Then explain it to me." Klaus snapped.

"I am tired, Niklaus." He said quickly. "I am so very tired. I look around and I see our beautiful family moving forward, leaving the darkness of our pasts behind us. I see love and peace. Rebekah, Kol, Freya, and you, you've all found someone to share the rest of your lives with, eternity if you chose, and me…" Elijah's head dipped as tears formed in his eyes. "I have no place in it, anymore."

"That is ridiculous."

"No, brother." Elijah looked up again, a single tear gently trailing down his cheeks. "My one and only hope for us, for you, was to be something better than we were. I wanted nothing in life but for you to be happy, Niklaus, for your redemption."

"And that's what you think I've become now, redeemed?"

"Yes," he answered as though it should have been obvious. "You have three beautiful children, a woman who has known the very worst of you and brings out the very best. You have everything I've always hoped you would, and I couldn't let you throw it away, not now."

Klaus blinked and soft tears trickled down his stubble-ridden cheeks when he did. "So you chose now to leave us?"

"I'm doing what I've always done, saving you from yourself." He offered a weak, heavy smile which Klaus barely managed to return. "This is my choice, a choice that was stolen from us centuries ago. Let me take it."

Klaus struggled to keep himself calm, to keep his swirling emotions bottled inside where they belonged. He could see the desperation in his brother's eyes, the longing to finally be free of such a long, lonely life, and whether he wanted to or not, he understood. See, the trouble with their kind was, suicide would always be the only way they could actually die.

Reaching forward, Klaus wrapped his arms around his brother and held tight, squeezing him so hard he knew it hurt, but he couldn't stop. He needed it to steady himself.

* * *

Kol, Rebekah, Freya, Davina, Hope, Klaus, Keelin, Marcel, K, Matthew and Alexander gathered around the dinner table, laughing, talking and sharing stories. They ate, those who could drank, and the world was a little brighter as a result. For those few hours, the world outside the Mikaelson manor didn't exist and they were grateful for it.

But the time did finally come, before the sun rose and when the youngest had gone to sleep. Klaus, Kol, Freya and Rebekah retired to another room with Elijah while the others remained in the courtyard. They'd already said their goodbyes, offered hugs and kind words, tried to say everything they could before Elijah was gone, but now it was time just for the siblings. They wanted to be together, like they were when they first started the journey a thousand years ago.

K paced, Marcel leaned against a pillar, Hope was sitting with her knee bouncing a thousand miles a minute, Davina sat on the fountain gnawing on her thumbnail, and Keelin was picking at one of the many plants adorning the walls. They were doing anything they could just to keep busy.

It felt like an eternity passed before the others finally emerged. They all broke off, tear-stained cheeks and rosy eyes, to hug their respective partner. Klaus went for K and Hope, wrapping an arm around them both and holding them close. H buried his face between them and struggled to keep the emptiness he felt inside at bay. These would be his new anchors, these two women and the boys upstairs. They would be what kept him sane.

Eventually, they knew the heartache would fade, but for the moment it was too raw. Without a word, the grounds slowly emptied and those who lived on the property retired to their rooms for the night.

It didn't seem real.

* * *

Eleven Years Later:

The gathered crowd sat silently beneath the brilliant afternoon sun. It was a bit warm for some, but the breeze kept the temperature down relatively well.

The nine of them were divided into two rows, sitting in a certain way so they could more easily whisper to one another as the proceedings continued at a languid pace. Hope shifted uncomfortably in her seat, drawing a few eyes.

"Are you alright, darling?" Klaus asked, calmly sat between Hope and Kali.

"It's this chair." She groaned. The hard plastic was unforgiving on her back.

"Do you want me to go grab the pillow from the car?" Landon asked. Klaus liked the boy well enough. He was kind, but soft spoken, and treated Hope as though she were a queen. He could appreciate that. Still, it was quite a shock for Hope's high school sweetheart to learn the truth of their family when he decided to join it some time ago.

"No," she grimaced again before finding a semi-comfortable position. "They're almost up. I can wait, then walk around for a minute."

She sighed heavily. The growing bump on her stomach was now bulbous, mere weeks from becoming a fully-formed human being. The trouble was, it made her rather uncomfortable.

"Elijah," Freya hissed softly.

Klaus' gaze drifted forward to the mop of unruly dark curls in front of him. Freya tried to calm her squirmy son, but he had the same issue as Hope. They couldn't sit still for long, but what could one expect of a nine-year-old?

"Sweetie," Keelin told him. "Just wait a couple more minutes, okay?"

He groaned and huffed in annoyance. Klaus never knew Elijah as a young boy, couldn't remember it at least, but Freya remembered their brother's youth clearly. Apparently, his nephew was rather like his namesake.

"Carrie Mason," the man behind the podium declared loudly.

A young girl in a cap and gown approached. With a smile, she took her diploma from an unchanged Caroline, the blonde smiling proudly as she handed off the paper.

"Alexander Mikaelson," Alaric read. Klaus honestly didn't recognize him when they'd arrived. With a grey beard and a great deal more wrinkles, he was a different man entirely.

A young man with long dark hair and teal eyes walked across the stage to the uproarious applause of his family and accepted his diploma from the Salvatore school.

"Matthew Mikaelson,"

A young man with the same face followed his brother's footsteps and accepted his diploma to the same loud claps and cheers. The two were tinted a bit pink, but what did they truly expect? Until Hope, no Mikaelson had ever graduated high school. Of course they were proud.

It'd been just over a decade since Elijah sacrificed himself for his family and there wasn't a day Klaus didn't think of him. Without Elijah, Klaus would have missed his daughter's graduation, her subsequent engagement and marriage, and the coming birth of his granddaughter. He wouldn't be able to see his sons, now nearly men, doing the same.

He wouldn't have met Freya and Keelin's son. He wouldn't have been able to attend Rebekah and Marcel's wedding. He wouldn't have walked his own daughter down the aisle.

Klaus couldn't put into words how grateful he was for Elijah, the man who'd always known what's best, who strove for something more. He wanted to make his brother proud any way he could.

Matthew and Alexander followed the slowly moving line back to their seats, but Alex caught sight of something just before he did. He nudged his brother. When Matt looked up, Alex jutted his chin, silently telling his twin to look behind him. Matt turned and saw something interesting.

There was a man in a well-tailored suit, a smile stretching across his strong jaw as he clapped. Beside him was a young woman with dark, short hair and bright green eyes. They looked happy and proud.

The pair stood side-by-side, together with a crowd most couldn't see. They were people lost, but not forgotten, remnants of a past life who'd come to bear witness to something special. They were the ghosts of Mystic Falls, of family and friends there to support those still alive.

Matthew and Alexander recognized their supporters instantly. There was hardly a wall at home that didn't have a picture of their uncle Elijah or Hayley Marshall. It wasn't the first time they'd caught glimpses of the pair through the years, either. A flash here and there, a whisper of something familiar. They were never frightened, though. For as long as they could remember, the boys knew about every member of their family, everyone who'd loved and cared for them, and they were taught the true meaning of always and forever.


End file.
